20 THE TIDES 



and low water-levels amounts to twelve feet ; but 

 round the neighbouring island of Heligoland, 

 only to six feet. In the Baltic, and in the Black 

 Sea, there is no ebb and flow. At the end, nearest 

 to the ocean, of the Mediterranean there is arise 

 of a few inches or one foot. There are more con- 

 siderable tides at the eastern end of this sea, and 

 in the upper part of the Adriatic. At Yenice 

 and at Trieste they rise sometimes nearly four feet. 



There are many places on the English shores 

 where you may see the effect of these changes 

 shown in striking contrasts of scenery; perhaps 

 at none more beautifully than at Ilfracombe in 

 Devonshire. But at St. Malo, on the Trench 

 coast, you may vritness this wonderful phenomenon 

 even on a grander scale. 



At low tide St. Malo itself seems to be sur- 

 rounded on three sides with wild craggy rocks, 

 which are covered with mussels and sea-weed, and 

 among which start up the lofty walls of the town. 

 The level places between the cliffs are covered with 

 a layer of fine sand firm enough for walking, and 

 formed almost entirely of powdered mussel-shells. 

 Here and there are pools containing water, 

 which its taste, as well as the number of little 

 crabs, mussels, and star-fish which may be 

 found in it, show to be sea-water left behind by 

 the tide. A fringe of sea-weed marks upon the 

 rocks the line which must be reached by the sea, 



