THE MERMAID'S TEA SERVICE. 17 



sustained by the plucky little animal for some 

 seconds. Whatever theory may be correct in 

 accounting for the strength with which these 

 little creatures cling to their rocky home, 

 we can wholly agree with Wordsworth who 

 wrote : 



" Should the strongest arm endeavor 

 ' The limpet from its rock to sever, 

 'Tis seen its loved support to clasp 

 With such tenacity of grasp, 

 We wonder that such strength should dwell 

 In such a small and simple shell ! 



" When the water covers his weather-worn 

 dome, the limpet does a-walking go ; but always 

 returns to the same spot upon the rock and re- 

 mains fixed while the tides are out, as its gills 

 were never made for breathing air. When the 

 rocks are soft, the little limpet wears away 

 not only his ' door stone,' but its circular little 

 dome reposes in a cavity which its muscular 

 foot scoops out, and which the shell exactly fits. 



" Who would guess this silent little creature 

 possessor of a tongue-twice as long as its shell ? 

 Stranger still, this ribbonlike tongue is fur- 

 nished with rows of teeth. The Patella vulgaris 

 of the British Isles has one hundred and sixty 

 rows of teeth upon its tongue, and twelve teeth 

 in a row, making its entire ' set ' to consist of 



