168 ALONG THE FLORIDA REEF. 



Dick secured it, and they captured several 

 specimens of the Antennarius — the nest-builders 

 first seen at Marquesas. 



" Why, here's a crab," exclaimed Dick, " right 

 under my eyes ! And here's another lying on 

 the weed, and a fish with a file for a fin." 



" It is not strange they escaped your notice," 

 said the doctor. "They are mimics, and see 

 how exactly in color they resemble the weed. 

 This is a provision of Nature for their protec- 

 tion. These animals are what is called pelagic 

 in their nature, floating around in the Gulf 

 Stream carried by the weed. Now, if colored 

 like some other crabs, the first gull that came 

 along would swoop down and carry them off ; 

 but Nature looks out for this, and has given 

 them tints in exact imitation of a patch of the 

 surrounding weed, and you will notice that even 

 the little zoophytes that grow upon the weed 

 are imitated. So with the fish," continued the 

 doctor, taking one up. " See the yellow, green, 

 mottled colors, its curious barbels and fringed 

 fins, how almost exactly they resemble the Sar- 

 gassum. If you did not know what you were 



