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claw in。 He has no proboscis like a butterfly to insert and suck with。 He
is as far off from his dinner as the fox was when the stork offered him a
feast in a long…necked jar。 What then do you think he does？ He turns
himself round； puts in a pair of his hind pincers； which are very slender；
and with them scoops the meat out of the cocoa…nut； and so puts his dinner
into his mouth with his hind feet。 And even the cocoa…nut husk he does
not waste； for he lives in deep burrows which he makes like a rabbit； and
being a luxurious crab； and liking to sleep soft in spite of his hard shell； he
lines them with a quantity of cocoa…nut fibre； picked out clean and fine；
just as if he was going to make cocoa…nut matting of it。 And being also a
clean crab； as I hope you are a clean little boy； he goes down to the sea
every night to have his bath and moisten his gills； and so lives happy all
his days； and gets so fat in his old age that he carries about his body nearly
a quart of pure oil。
That is the history of the cocoa…nut crab。 And if any one tells me that
that crab acts only on what is called 〃instinct〃； and does not think and
reason； just as you and I think and reason； though of course not in words
as you and I do： then I shall be inclined to say that that person does not
think nor reason either。
Then were there many coral…reefs in Britain in old times？
Yes； many and many； again and again； some whole ages older than this；
a bit of which you see； and some again whole ages newer。 But look： then
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judge for yourself。 Look at this geological map。 Wherever you see a bit
of blue； which is the mark for limestone； you may say； 〃There is a bit of
old coral…reef rising up to the surface。〃 But because I will not puzzle
your little head with too many things at once； you shall look at one set of
coral…reefs which are far newer than this bit of Dudley limestone； and
which are the largest； I suppose； that ever were in this country； or； at least；
there is more of them left than of any others。
Look first at Ireland。 You see that almost all the middle of Ireland is
coloured blue。 It is one great sheet of old coral…reef and coral…mud；
which is now called the carboniferous limestone。 You see red and purple
patches rising out of it； like islandsand islands I suppose they were； of
hard and ancient rock； standing up in the middle of the coral sea。
But look again； and you will see that along the west coast of Ireland；
except in a very few places； like Galway Bay； the blue limestone does not
come down to the sea； the shore is coloured purple and brown； and those
colours mark the ancient rocks and high mountains of Mayo and Galway
and Kerry； which stand as barriers to keep the raging surf of the Atlantic
from bursting inland and beating away； as it surely would in course of time；
the low flat limestone plain of the middle of Ireland。 But the same coral…
reefs once stretched out far to the westward into the Atlantic Ocean； and
you may see the proof upon that map。 For in the western bays； in Clew
Bay with its hundred islands； and Galway Bay with its Isles of Arran； and
beautiful Kenmare； and beautiful Bantry； you see little blue spots； which
are low limestone islands； standing in the sea； overhung by mountains far
aloft。 You have often heard those islands in Kenmare Bay talked of； and
how some whom you know go to fish round them by night for turbot and
conger； and when you hear them spoken of again； you must recollect that
they are the last fragments of a great fringing coral…reef； which will in a
few thousand years follow the fate of the rest； and be eaten up by the
waves； while the mountains of hard rock stand round them still
unchanged。
Now look at England； and there you will see patches at least of a great
coral…reef which was forming at the same time as that Irish one； and on
which perhaps some of your schoolfellows have often stood。 You have
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heard of St。 Vincent's Rocks at Bristol； and the marble cliffs； 250 feet in
height； covered in part with rich wood and rare flowers； and the Avon
running through the narrow gorge； and the stately ships sailing far below
your feet from Bristol to the Severn sea。 And you may see； for here they
are； corals from St。 Vincent's Rocks； cut and polished； showing too that
they also； like the Dudley limestone； are made up of corals and of coral…
mud。 Now； whenever you see St。 Vincent's Rocks； as I suspect you very
soon will； recollect where you are； and use your fancy； to paint for
yourself a picture as strange as it is true。 Fancy that those rocks are what
they once were； a coral…reef close to the surface of a shallow sea。 Fancy
that there is no gorge of the Avon； no wide Severn seafor those were
eaten out by water ages and ages afterwards。 But picture to yourself the
coral sea reaching away to the north； to the foot of the Welsh mountains；
and then fancy yourself； if you will； in a canoe； paddling up through the
coral… reefs； north and still north； up the valley down which the Severn
now flows； up through what is now Worcestershire； then up through
Staffordshire； then through Derbyshire； into Yorkshire； and so on through
Durham and Northumberland； till your find yourself stopped by the Ettrick
hills in Scotland； while all to the westward of you； where is now the
greater part of England； was open sea。 You may say； if you know
anything of the geography of England； 〃Impossible！ That would be to
paddle over the tops of high mountains； over the top of the Peak in
Derbyshire； over the top of High Craven and Whernside and Pen…y…gent
and Cross Fell； and to paddle too over the Cheviot Hills； which part
England and Scotland。〃 I know it； my child； I know it。 But so it was
once on a time。 The high limestone mountains which part Lancashire
and Yorkshirethe very chine and backbone of Englandwere once coral…
reefs at the bottom of the sea。 They are all made up of the carboniferous
limestone； so called； as your little knowledge of Latin ought to te