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They are very good to eat； these razor…fish； at least； for those
who so think them； and abound in millions upon all our sandy
shores。 （3）
Now for the tapering brown spires。 They are Turritellae； snail…
like animals （though the form of the shell is different）； who crawl
and browse by thousands on the beds of Zostera； or grass wrack；
which you see thrown about on the beach； and which grows naturally
in two or three fathoms water。 Stay： here is one which is 〃more
than itself。〃 On its back is mounted a cluster of barnacles
（Balanus Porcatus）； of the same family as those which stud the
tide…rocks in millions； scratching the legs of hapless bathers。 Of
them； I will speak presently； for I may have a still more curious
member of the family to show you。 But meanwhile； look at the mouth
of the shell； a long grey worm protrudes from it； which is not the
rightful inhabitant。 He is dead long since； and his place has been
occupied by one Sipunculus Bernhardi； a wight of low degree； who
connects 〃radiate〃 with annulate forms … in plain English； sea…
cucumbers （of which we shall see some soon） with sea…worms。 But
however low in the scale of comparative anatomy； he has wit enough
to take care of himself； mean ugly little worm as he seems。 For
finding the mouth of the Turritella too big for him； he has
plastered it up with sand and mud （Heaven alone knows how）； just as
a wry…neck plasters up a hole in an apple…tree when she intends to
build therein； and has left only a round hole； out of which he can
poke his proboscis。 A curious thing is this proboscis； when seen
through the magnifier。 You perceive a ring of tentacles round the
mouth； for picking up I know not what； and you will perceive； too；
if you watch it； that when he draws it in； he turns mouth；
tentacles and all； inwards； and so down into his stomach； just as
if you were to turn the finger of a glove inward from the tip till
it passed into the hand； and so performs； every time he eats； the
clown's as yet ideal feat； of jumping down his own throat。 （4）
So much have we seen on one little shell。 But there is more to see
close to it。 Those yellow plants which I likened to squirrels'
tails and lobsters' horns； and what not； are zoophytes of different
kinds。 Here is Sertularia argentea （true squirrel's tail）； here；
S。 filicula； as delicate as tangled threads of glass； here；
abietina； here； rosacea。 The lobsters' horns are Antennaria
antennina； and mingled with them are Plumulariae； always to be
distinguished from Sertulariae by polypes growing on one side of
the branch； and not on both。 Here is falcata； with its roots
twisted round a sea…weed。 Here is cristata； on the same weed； and
here is a piece of the beautiful myriophyllum； which has been
battered in its long journey out of the deep water about the ore
rock。 For all these you must consult Johnson's 〃Zoophytes；〃 and
for a dozen smaller species； which you would probably find tangled
among them； or parasitic on the sea…weed。 Here are Flustrae； or
sea…mats。 This； which smells very like Verbena； is Flustra
coriacea （Pl。 I。 Fig。 2）。 That scurf on the frond of ore…weed is
F。 lineata （Pl。 Fig。 1）。 The glass bells twined about this
Sertularia are Campanularia syringa （Pl。 I。 Fig。 9）； and here is a
tiny plant of Cellularia ciliata （Pl。 I。 Fig。 8）。 Look at it
through the field…glass； for it is truly wonderful。 Each polype
cell is edged with whip…like spines； and on the back of some of
them is … what is it； but a live vulture's head； snapping and
snapping … what for？
Nay； reader； I am here to show you what can be seen： but as for
telling you what can be known； much more what cannot； I decline；
and refer you to Johnson's 〃Zoophytes；〃 wherein you will find that
several species of polypes carry these same birds' heads： but
whether they be parts of the polype； and of what use they are； no
man living knoweth。
Next； what are the striped pears？ They are sea…anemones； and of a
species only lately well known； Sagartia viduata； the snake…locked
anemone （Pl。 V。 Fig。 3（5））。 They have been washed off the loose
stones to which they usually adhere by the pitiless roll of the
ground…swell； however； they are not so far gone； but that if you
take one of them home； and put it in a jar of water； it will expand
into a delicate compound flower； which can neither be described nor
painted； of long pellucid tentacles； hanging like a thin bluish
cloud over a disk of mottled brown and grey。
Here； adhering to this large whelk； is another； but far larger and
coarser。 It is Sagartia parasitica； one of our largest British
species； and most singular in this； that it is almost always （in
Torbay； at least；） found adhering to a whelk： but never to a live
one； and for this reason。 The live whelk （as you may see for
yourself when the tide is out） burrows in the sand in chase of
hapless bivalve shells； whom he bores through with his sharp tongue
（always； cunning fellow； close to the hinge； where the fish is）；
and then sucks out their life。 Now； if the anemone stuck to him；
it would be carried under the sand daily； to its own disgust。 It
prefers； therefore； the dead whelk； inhabited by a soldier crab；
Pagurus Bernhardi （Pl。 II。 Fig。 2）； of which you may find a dozen
anywhere as the tide goes out； and travels about at the crab's
expense； sharing with him the offal which is his food。 Note；
moreover； that the soldier crab is the most hasty and blundering of
marine animals； as active as a monkey； and as subject to panics as
a horse； wherefore the poor anemone on his back must have a hard
life of it； being knocked about against rocks and shells； without
warning； from morn to night and night to morn。 Against which
danger； kind Nature； ever MAXIMA IN MINIMIS； has provided by
fitting him with a stout leather coat； which she has given； I
believe； to no other of his family。
Next； for the babies' heads； covered with prickles； instead of
hair。 They are sea…urchins； Amphidotus cordatus； which burrow by
thousands in the sand。 These are of that Spatangoid form； which
you will often find fossil in the chalk； and which shepherd boys
call snakes' heads。 We shall soon find another sort； an Echinus；
and have time to talk over these most strange （in my eyes） of all
living animals。
There are a hundred more things to be talked of here： but we must
defer the examination of them till our return； for it wants an hour
yet of the dead low spring…tide； and ere we go home； we will spend
a few minutes at least on the rocks at Livermead； where awaits us a
strong…backed quarryman； with a strong…backed crowbar； as is to be
hoped （for he snapped one right across there yesterday； falling
miserably on his back into a pool thereby）； and we will verify Mr。
Gosse's observation； that …
〃When once we have begun to look with curiosity on the stran