On the Seashore | Page 4

you see that many of them
are smooth and round. Some are as round as the "marbles" you play
with. No wonder, for the mighty sea has scoured them with sand and
rolled them for miles.
As you know, the sea is not always at the same height. It falls and rises.
Twice in every day it ebbs and flows; we call this movement of the sea
the tides. At low tide we can explore the very bed of the ocean. We can
visit the homes of the living, breathing animals, which, at high tide, are
hidden far under water. Between the high-water mark and low-water
mark is our hunting-place. There we shall find the play-ground and
feeding-ground of many a strange creature.
Here is a stretch of sand, with little channels of water; there is a patch
of shingle mixed with numbers of tiny shells. The ebbing tide leaves
shallow pools in every hollow of the beach, and these pools are often
full of life.
Shrimps dart away and disappear in the sand as if by magic. Small fish
and crabs hide from you as best they can. Helpless jelly-fish and
starfish sprawl on the wet sand. What are those thin ropes of sand
coiled up into little mounds? They remind us of "worm-casts." They are
thrown up by a sand-worm, called "lug-worm" by the fisherman. He
brings a spade and digs wherever he sees the sandy ropes of the "lug,"
for this worm makes good fishing bait.

Seagulls love to explore the shallow pools. You may see them walking
solemnly about, picking up stray morsels. If you see a screaming group
of them you can be sure that one has found an extra large prize, and the
others mean to share the feast.
Let us walk down the beach towards the sea. Soon we find ourselves
among rocks. Now these rocks are the bare bed of the shore, stripped of
all covering. There is no mud, sand, or shingle, so here you see plainly
the work done by the restless water. On every side you notice rocks
worn to all shapes and sizes. Some jut out as sharp ledges. Others are
flat tables, covered with a table-cloth of sea-plants. These clothe the
rocks, or hang over the ledges like wet, shining green curtains. Nearly
every rock has its crust of barnacles and clumps of mussels. If we are
not careful we slip on the wet weeds, and get a ducking in the pools
which lie everywhere among the rocks.
Here is the best place of all for sharp eyes to find the animals and plants
we seek. Where the hard rock has been worn down into hollows, the
falling tide leaves a pool of still, clear water. These rock-pools are the
home of many a creature. So let us look for them, until the rising tide
sweeps over the rocks once more, and drives us away.
Sea-anemones and seaweeds brighten the pool with their various
colours. Pretty shells gleam here and there; and on the face of the rock
there are more limpets, barnacles and mussels than we can count.
Where are the other living animals which we came to find? You will
not see them unless you hunt for them in the right way. It is a game of
"hide-and-seek." They are the "hiders"; and, as their lives often depend
on their skill in hiding, you cannot wonder that they know every trick
in the game.
There may be crabs, fish, shrimps, and others in the pool. If you look
for a moment, and then walk to the next pool, your hunting will not
have much result. It is best to lie down and wait patiently, gazing into
the clear water of the pool. The little inhabitants are hidden in the dark
corners under the rock ledges, or buried under stones and sand; or they
may be hiding in those thick clumps of mussels--a favourite

lurking-place; or else tucked away in the friendly shelter of the
seaweed.
Knowing their dodges, you will soon become clever at finding them.
Some seaside dwellers, such as prawns, are almost transparent in the
water. Others, like baby crabs, are green or brown like the weed in
which they hide. Even the sharp eyes of the seagulls must be deceived
by this trick.
What a strange life they lead, these creatures of the shore! At times
they are deep under water, and they form part of the teeming life of the
ocean floor.
Then the tide falls and uncovers them. They are in the full light of day
again, the sun shines on them. Most of them cannot escape to the sea,
and so must face the enemies which prowl along the shore looking for
prey. So, from one tide to the next, the