I08 BY THE SEA. 



have chanced to collect while strolling by the 

 ocean's edge. 



What grotesque, outlandish forms there are 

 among the small crustaceans that can be picked 

 up almost anywhere in the tide pools and under 

 the rank sea-weed ! Here are countless barnacles 

 incrusting the rocks that lay far above low-water 

 mark, waiting patiently for the incoming tide 

 to submerge them and bring them food again. 

 Those in the higher places, with valves tightly 

 closed, have fasted for many hours in the eye of 

 the blazing sun. How curious it is that such 

 water-loving creatures can flourish here ! What 

 has prevented them from perishing outright, fixed 

 as they are on the hot, dry rocks .'' 



Four or five months ago, many of these mol- 

 lusk-like crustaceans were young, free, swimming 

 little creatures which looked like the so-called 

 "fleas" in our fresh ponds and ditches. For a 

 while they skipped lively enough through the 

 rising and falling tides, but there came a time 

 when their roving life ended. Instinctively they 

 all swam toward the rocks and fastened themselves 

 upon them. Wherever there was space for build- 

 ing, even on the shells of past generations of bar- 

 nacles they settled, and began the construction of 

 their lime-stone houses. Day after day the strange 

 transformation went on till the marvelous struc- 

 tures were completed. The shell which encloses 



