SEA-GRAPES. 



79 



and similar establishments. The cluster from 

 which this sketch was made I found lying 

 among the rocks, and put it carefully away. But 

 in the course of travel, the box in which it was 

 placed gave way^ and my poor little egg-cluster 

 was thrown among a large boxful of shells. 

 There it rested for some seven or eight months, 

 and when discovered w^as dry, shrivelled, and 

 hardly to be recognised. But, when placed in hot 

 water, it absorbed the liquid as if it had been 

 composed of blotting paper, and in two minutes 

 had completely resumed its natural aspect. 



Often may be found, lying on the shore, masses 

 of dark soft substances, not unlike purple grapes, 

 both in size and in shape. If you ask a fisherman 

 the name of them, he will tell you that they are 

 sea-grapeSj but for any further information you 

 may usually ask in vain. Indeed, as a general 

 fact, those who live on the sea-shore are hope- 

 lessly ignorant of its treasures. I knew a person 

 of intellect, education, and ordinary observing 

 powers, who had resided within a stone's throw 

 of the sea for a period of thirty years, who had 

 been accustomed to walk on the sands almost 

 daily, and yet had never in his life seen, and 

 hardly ever heard of, a common sea anemone, 

 although the shores were studded with them as 



