SOME 
Notes the Seashore Objects 
OF WHICH 
PHOTOGRAPHS APPEAR IN 
THE FOREGOING PAGES . . 
BY 
Walford b. Johnson. 
All the creatures figured in the illustrations may be found on 
British shores during the summer months. The best time to search 
for them is at low water when the moon is full or new, as then the 
maximum stretch of sand will be left by the receding tide. 
Jelly-fish. — During the summer months it is a common sight to 
see numbers of circular gelatinous masses floating on the waves in 
the neighbourhood of the shore. Each one has four white rings 
arranged round the centre of the “umbrella.” If this creature be 
viewed laterally it will be seen that there hang down from the dome 
four somewhat twisted ribbon-like appendages. Jelly-fish seem 
incapable of directing their own course but are washed about 
wherever the currents take them. They are exceedingly low down 
in the scale of life for they consist of a very slight membrane whose 
pores are tensely filled out with water. If one of these creatures be 
exposed to the sun’s rays for a few hours the contained water will 
evaporate and nothing will remain save a very small silvery mark 
like that left by a slug or snail when crawling over the ground. 
Beadlet Sea Anemone. — A careful search among the lower 
reefs when the tide is out will reveal a number of jelly-like objects 
firmly sticking to the under surface of the rocks. Some are bright 
red, others green, while a third set are closely spotted with brown 
on a red background. All three are varieties of the Beadlet Sea 
Anemone which abound on most of our rocky shores. When left by 
the tide their appearances are not very striking, but when sub. 
merged they stretch out a number of tentacles in search of food. 
In this latter position these creatures bear some resemblance to a 
flower with full-blown petals. It is this which has earned for them 
the title of sea flowers or sea anemones. When a shrimp or a sand- 
hopper swims over the expanded tentacles of one of these creatures 
and happens to touch them, it is immediately held fast while the 
anemone slowly closes dragging the unfortunate victim within its 
body. When the shrimp is digested the tentacles are again pro- 
truded in search of a further meal. 
