46 THE HALL OF SHELLS. 



" Oh, please drop his baptismal name," in- 

 terrupted Tom. " Can't see such a little chap 

 if he has a whole alphabet piled up before 

 him ! " 



When the small individual with the dis- 

 tinguished name was arranged for inspection 

 the doctor explained : " It is one of the glow- 

 worms that at night fringe the waves with 

 gold or hang their lamps in the coral groves 

 and the seaweed gardens." His listeners were 

 eager for another of the fairy tales of science, 

 and he continued : " Beautiful as are the ocean 

 depths by the light of day, it is left for night 

 to reveal marvels of beauty and brilliancy 

 transcending the most vivid and gorgeous of 

 earthly panoramas. 



" It is not strange that fairy lore and tales of 

 wonder ascribe to the sea charmed gardens and 

 palaces glittering with gold and gems. Even 

 their wealth of imagery fails to picture the 

 brilliancy of the scene when under the canopy 

 of night a strange carnival of light begins. 

 The sea, then, has no dark and shadowy cor- 

 ners. Unattractive little brown beings scarce- 

 ly noticed before, are changed as by magic into 

 flowers of fire and fruit of gold upon the 

 branching coral trees. Sea anemones hang 

 their gorgeous blossoms over the reefs or wave 



