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SEA.-MOUSE 



Kancy of whose colouring would not suffer in 

 comparison with the plumage of the brightest 

 humming-bird. This animal is popularly known 

 by the name of Sea-mouse, its scientific title 

 being Halithcea, or Aphrodite aculeata. Edging 

 the body may be seen rows of bristles or hairs 

 which, when simply printed in black and white, 

 give no idea at all of the iridescent colouring of 

 their surfaces; while even, if coloured, the re- 

 semblance is but faint, because it wants the 

 changing tints which flash along the hairs when- 

 ever they are moved. 



It is a strange thing, and one that shows the 

 lavish beauty of creation, that an animal endowed 

 with such glorious colours, that can only be ex- 

 hibited by a full supply of light, should have its 

 habitation in the mud. When kept in an aqua- 

 rium, they generally appear to avoid the light 

 rather than to seek it, and keep themselves so 

 hidden among the weeds and stones, that it is not 

 always an easy matter to find them. They are 

 rather migratory in their habits, but not erratic, 

 for they seem to go over the same course week 

 after week ; so that, having seen them on one 

 day, it is not difficult to predict their locality on 

 the next. 



The bristles cf the aphrodite are not only 



