第 12 节
作者:
精灵王 更新:2021-04-30 17:23 字数:9322
inherit the now superfluous horns of his primeval wild ancestors; though
he fights now … if he fights at all … not with his horns; but with his
forehead。
Enough of Cardium tuberculatum。 Now for the other animals of the
heap; and first; for those long white razors。 They; as well as the grey
scimitars; are Solens; Razor…fish (Solen siliqua and S。 ensis); burrowers
in the sand by that foot which protrudes from one end; nimble in
escaping from the Torquay boys; whom you will see boring for them
with a long iron screw; on the sands at low tide。 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
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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
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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
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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 (i