BARNACLES. 221 



CHAPTER XII. 



BAEKACLES. 



Tou cannot have wandered among the rocks on our 

 sontliern or western coasts, when the tide is out, with- 

 out having observed that their whole stirface, up to 

 a certain level (often very precisely defined), is rough- 

 ened with an innumerable multitude of little brownish 

 cones. If you have ever thought it worth while to 

 examine them with more care, you have seen that, 

 crowded as they are, so thickly that frequently they 

 crush each other out of their proper form and pro- 

 portions, they are all constructed on the same model. 

 Each cone is seen to be a little castle, built up of stony 

 plates that lean towards each other, but which leave 

 an orifice at the top. Within this opening, provided 

 the castle be tenuated by a living inhabitant, you see 

 two or three other pieces joined together in a pecu- 

 liar manner, which are capable of separating, but 

 which, when brought together, efi'ectually close up all 

 ingress. 



Perhaps you have never pushed your investigations 

 farther than this, having a courteous respect for the 

 feelings of the inmate, which has prevented your in- 

 truding on a privacy so recluse. But I have been less 

 considerate ; many a time have I applied the steel 



