IX.
To oblige an English correspondent who requested some blocks of stone containing Pholas perforations, the writer, in company with a fellow-student, started betimes for the sea-shore, some four miles' distance. We made for a certain spot, where it was expected the object of our wishes could easily be found. Our equipment consisted merely of a hammer, a bottle, and two chisels, enclosed in a carpet-bag, the better to mask our mission from impertinent curiosity.
On reaching the shore, it soon became painfully apparent that no pieces of rock could be procured of a character at all suitable for a museum. To make matters still more irritating, a breeze arose, and with it came a furious shower of rain, which soon completely saturated our light costume. At such a time it is laughable to note how faint becomes the poetry of practical zoology—how excessively like street puddles are the fairy-grots, as the rock-pools are called; how unsightly the great, distorted anemones look, too, when viewed from beneath a large boulder, where you are crouched in the fond idea that you are thus getting shelter from the rain.
On this occasion, my friend and I, being soaked to the skin, started up from our unpleasant position, and boldly daring the rain to do its worst, proceeded to hunt after any object of interest that might by chance be lying stranded near.
After an hour's search, two objects, among many others of more or less interest, were captured, that fully repaid us for our uncomfortable 'ducking.' The first was an elegant Actinia (A. Dianthus), which seemed to be exquisitely modelled in the finest virgin wax. The second was a specimen of the Laminated Nereis (Phyllodoce Laminosa), a wonderfully beautiful worm!
Fair reader, start not nor curl that rosy lip of thine at the expression, 'beautiful,' being applied to such an humble creature, for indeed the title is a just and true one.
This Annelid is generally found coiled up and attached to the under part of stones situated near low water mark. Its general colour is emerald green, excepting along the centre of the back, which is iridescent, and reflects a brilliant blue, changing into purple and other hues, only equalled in beauty by the enamelled corslet of the brightest beetle, or the flashing tints that dance upon the plumage of the humming-bird.
The body of the P. Laminosa, like that of all other Dorsibranchiate Annelidans, is divided into a consecutive series of rings. Upon either side of each ring is situated a singular appendage, which acts as a gill or branchial organ, by the exercise of which the blood of the animal is effectually purified, and respiration adequately provided for.