（who　find　everything；　and　will　at　last　certainly　catch　Midgard；　the
  great　sea…serpent；　as　Thor　did；　by　baiting　for　him　with　a　bull's
  head）；　have　dredged　them　in　great　numbers；　the　former；　at　Helford
  in　Cornwall；　the　latter　on　the　west　coast　of　Scotland。　　It　seems；
  however；　to　be　a　southern　monster；　probably　a　remnant；　like　the
  great　cockle；　of　the　Mediterranean　fauna；　for　Mr。　MacAndrew　finds
  them　plentifully　in　Vigo　Bay；　and　J。　M乴ler　in　the　Adriatic；　off
  Trieste。
  But　what　is　it　like？　　Conceive　a　very　fat　short　earth…worm；　not
  ringed；　though；　like　the　earth…worm；　but　smooth　and　glossy；　dappled
  with　darker　spots；　especially　on　one　side；　which　may　be　the　upper
  one。　　Put　round　its　mouth　twelve　little　arms；　on　each　a　hand　with
  four　ragged　fingers；　and　on　the　back　of　the　hand　a　stump　of　a
  thumb；　and　you　have　Synapta　Digitata　（Plates　IV。　and　V。；　from　my
  drawings　of　the　live　animal）。　　These　hands　it　puts　down　to　its
  mouth；　generally　in　alternate　pairs；　but　how　it　obtains　its　food　by
  them　is　yet　a　mystery；　for　its　intestines　are　filled；　like　an
  earth…worm's；　with　the　mud　in　which　it　lives；　and　from　which　it
  probably　extracts　（as　does　the　earth…worm）　all　organic　matters。
  You　will　find　it　stick　to　your　fingers　by　the　whole　skin；　causing；
  if　your　hand　be　delicate；　a　tingling　sensation；　and　if　you　examine
  the　skin　under　the　microscope；　you　will　find　the　cause。　　The　whole
  skin　is　studded　with　minute　glass　anchors；　some　hanging　freely　from
  the　surface；　but　most　imbedded　in　the　skin。　　Each　of　these　anchors
  is　jointed　at　its　root　into　one　end　of　a　curious　cribriform　plate；
  …　in　plain　English；　one　pierced　like　a　sieve；　which　lies　under　the
  skin；　and　reminds　one　of　the　similar　plates　in　the　skin　of　the
  White　Cucumaria；　which　I　will　show　you　presently；　and　both　of　these
  we　must　regard　as　the　first　rudiments　of　an　Echinoderm's　outside
  skeleton；　such　as　in　the　Sea…urchins　covers　the　whole　body　of　the
  animal。　　（See　on　Echinus　Millaris；　p。　89。）　（7）　　Somewhat　similar
  anchor…plates；　from　a　Red　Sea　species；　Synapta　Vittata；　may　be　seen
  in　any　collection　of　microscopic　objects。
  The　animal；　when　caught；　has　a　strange　habit　of　self…destruction；
  contracting　its　skin　at　two　or　three　different　points；　and　writhing
  till　it　snaps　itself　into　〃junks；〃　as　the　sailors　would　say；　and
  then　dies。　　My　specimens；　on　breaking　up；　threw　out　from　the
  wounded　part　long　〃ovarian　filaments〃　（whatsoever　those　may　be）；
  similar　to　those　thrown　out　by　many　of　the　Sagartian　anemones；
  especially　S。　parasitica。　　Beyond　this；　I　can　tell　you　nothing
  about　Synapta；　and　only　ask　you　to　consider　its　hands；　as　an
  instance　of　that　fantastic　play　of　Nature　which　repeats；　in
  families　widely　different；　organs　of　similar　form；　though　perhaps
  of　by　no　means　similar　use；　nay；　sometimes　（as　in　those　beautiful
  clear…wing　hawk…moths　which　you；　as　they　hover　round　the
  rhododendrons；　mistake　for　bumble…bees）　repeats　the　outward　form　of
  a　whole　animal；　for　no　conceivable　reason　save　her　…　shall　we　not
  say　honestly　His？　…　own　good　pleasure。
  But　here　we　are　at　the　old　bank　of　boulders；　the　ruins　of　an
  antique　pier　which　the　monks　of　Tor　Abbey　built　for　their
  convenience；　while　Torquay　was　but　a　knot　of　fishing　huts　within　a
  lonely　limestone　cove。　　To　get　to　it；　though；　we　have　passed　many　a
  hidden　treasure；　for　every　ledge　of　these　flat　New…red…sandstone
  rocks；　if　torn　up　with　the　crowbar；　discloses　in　its　cracks　and
  crannies　nests　of　strange　forms　which　shun　the　light　of　day；
  beautiful　Actiniae　fill　the　tiny　caverns　with　living　flowers；　great
  Pholades　（Plate　X。　figs。　3；　4）　bore　by　hundreds　in　the　softer
  strata；　and　wherever　a　thin　layer　of　muddy　sand　intervenes　between
  two　slabs；　long　Annelid　worms　of　quaintest　forms　and　colours　have
  their　horizontal　burrows；　among　those　of　that　curious　and　rare
  radiate　animal；　the　Spoonworm；　（8）　an　eyeless　bag　about　an　inch
  long；　half　bluish　grey；　half　pink；　with　a　strange　scalloped　and
  wrinkled　proboscis　of　saffron　colour；　which　serves；　in　some
  mysterious　way；　soft　as　it　is；　to　collect　food；　and　clear　its　dark
  passage　through　the　rock。
  See；　at　the　extreme　low…water　mark；　where　the　broad　olive　fronds　of
  the　Laminariae；　like　fan…palms；　droop　and　wave　gracefully　in　the
  retiring　ripples；　a　great　boulder　which　will　serve　our　purpose。
  Its　upper　side　is　a　whole　forest　of　sea…weeds；　large　and　small；　and
  that　forest；　if　you　examined　it　closely；　as　full　of　inhabitants　as
  those　of　the　Amazon　or　the　Gambia。　　To　〃beat〃　that　dense　cover
  would　be　an　endless　task：　　but　on　the　under　side；　where　no　sea…
  weeds　grow；　we　shall　find　full　in　view　enough　to　occupy　us　till　the
  tide　returns。　　For　the　slab；　see；　is　such　a　one　as　sea…beasts　love
  to　haunt。　　Its　weed…covered　surface　shows　that　the　surge　has　not
  shifted　it　for　years　past。　　It　lies　on　other　boulders　clear　of　sand
  and　mud；　so　that　there　is　no　fear　of　dead　sea…weed　having　lodged
  and　decayed　under　it；　destructive　to　animal　life。　　We　can　see　dark
  crannies　and　caves　beneath；　yet　too　narrow　to　allow　the　surge　to
  wash　in；　and　keep　the　surface　clean。　　It　will　be　a　fine　menagerie
  of　Nereus；　if　we　can　but　turn　it。
  Now　the　crowbar　is　well　under　it；　heave；　and　with　a　will；　and　so；
  after　five　minutes'　tugging；　propping；　slipping；　and　splashing；　the
  boulder　gradually　tips　over；　and　we　rush　greedily　upon　the　spoil。
  A　muddy　dripping　surface　it　is；　truly；　full　of　cracks　and　hollows；
  uninviting　enough　at　first　sight：　　let　us　look　it　round　leisurely；
  to　see　if　there　are　not　materials　enough　there　for　an　hour's
  lecture。
  The　first　object　which　strikes　the　eye　is　probably　a　group　of　milk…
  white　slugs；　from　two　to　six　inches　long；　cuddling　snugly　together
  （Plate　IX。　fig。　1）。　　You　try　to　pull　them　off；　and　find　that　they
  give　you　some　trouble；　such　a　firm　hold　have　the　delicate　white
  sucking　arms；　which　fringe　each　of　their　five　edges。　　You　see　at
  the　head　nothing　but　a　yellow　dimple；　for　eating　and　breathing　are
  suspended　till　the　return　of　tide；　but　once　settled　in　a　jar　of
  salt…water；　each　will　protrude　a　large　chocolate…coloured　head；
  tipped　with　a　ring　of　ten　feathery　gills；　looking　very　much　like　a
  head　of　〃curled　kale；〃　but　of　the　loveliest　white　and　primrose；　in
  the　centre　whereof　lies　perdu　a　mouth　with　sturdy　teeth　…　if　indeed
  they；　as　well　as　the　whole　inside　of　the　beast；　have　not　been
  lately　got　rid　of；　and　what　you　see　be　not　a　mere　bag；　without
  intestine　or　other　organ：　　but　only　for　the　time　being。　　For　hear
  it；　worn…out　epicures；　and　old　Indians　who　bemoan　your　livers；　this
  little　Holothuria　knows　a　secret　which；　if　he　could　tell　it；　you
  would　be　glad　to　buy　of　him　for　thousands　sterling。　　To　him　blue
  pill　and　muriatic　acid　are　superfluous；　and　travels　to　German
  Brunnen　a　waste　of　time。　　Happy　Holothuria！　who　possesses　really
  the　secret　of　everlasting　youth；　which　ancient　fable　bestowed　on
  the　serpent　and　the　eagle。　　For　when　his　teeth　ache；　or　his
  digestive　organs　trouble　him；　all　he　has　to　do　is　just　to　cast　up
  forthwith　his　entire　inside；　and；　faisant　maigre　for　a　month　or　so；
  grow　a　fresh　set；　and　then　eat　away　as　merrily　as　ever。　　His　name；
  if　you　wish　to　consult　so　triumphant　a　hygeist；　is　Cucumaria
  Pentactes：　　but　he　has　many　a　stout　cousin　round　the　Scotch　coast；
  who　knows　the　antibilious　panacea　as　well　as　he；　and　submits；　among
  the　northern　fishermen；　to　the　rather　rude　and　undeserved　name　of
  sea…puddings；　one　of　which　grows　in　Shetland　to　the　enormous　length
  of　three　feet；　rivalling　there　his　huge　congeners；　who　display
  their　exquisite　plumes　on　every　tropic　coral　reef。　　（9）
  Next；　what　are　those　bright　little　buds；　like　salmon…coloured
  Banksia　roses　half　expanded；　sitting　closely　on　the　stone？　　Touch
  them；　the　soft　part　is　retracted；　and　the　orange　flower　of　flesh　is
  transformed　into　a　pale　pink　flower　of　stone。　　That　is　the
  Madrepore；　Caryophyllia　Smithii　（Plate　V。　fig。　2）；　one　of　our　south
  coast　rarities：　　and　see；　on　the　lip　of　the　last　one；　which　we　have
  carefully　scooped　off　with　the　chisel；　two　little　pink　towers　of
  stone；　delicately　striated；　drop　them　into　this　small　bottle　of
  sea…water；　and　from　the　top　of　each　tower　issues　every　half…second
  …　what　shall　we　call　it？　…　a　hand　or　a　net　of　finest　hairs；
  clutching　at　something　invisible　to　our　grosser　sense。　　That　is　the
  Pyrgoma；　parasitic　only　（as　far　as　we　know）　on　the　lip　of　this　same
  rare　Madrepore；　a　little　〃cirrhipod；〃　the　cousin　of　those　tiny
  barnacles　which　roughen　every　rock　（a　larger　sort　whereof　I　showed
  you　on　the　Turritella）；　and　of　those　larger　ones　also　who　burrow　in
  the　thick　hide　of　the　whale；　and；　borne　about　upon　his　mighty
  sides；　throw　out　their　tiny　casting　nets；　as　this　Pyrgoma　does；　to
  catch　every　passing　animalcule；　and　sweep　them　into　the　jaws
  concealed　within　its　shell。　　And　this　creature；　ro