Glimpses of Ocean Life 1

Glimpses of Ocean Life 1

Glimpses of Ocean Life

Rock-Pools and the Lessons they Teach

 

Author: John Harper

 

CONTENTS.

 

 

CHAPTER I.

 

ON THE PLEASURES DERIVED FROM THE STUDY OF MARINE ZOOLOGY.

Page

 

Introduction--Two classes of readers--Marine zoology

as an amusement--The botanist and his

pleasures--Entomological pursuits--Hidden marvels

of nature--The little Stickleback--Conclusion, 17

 

 

CHAPTER II.

 

A GLANCE AT THE INVISIBLE WORLD.

 

Microscopic studies--When to use the

microscope--Modern martyrs of science--Infusoria--Use

of Infusoria--Distinction between plants and

animals--_Vorticella_--_Rotatoria_--Wheel

animalcules--Mooring Thread of Vorticellæ--A

compound species of Vorticella described--_Zoothamnium

spirale_ of Mr. Gosse--Nature's scavengers, 27

 

 

CHAPTER III.

 

SEA ANEMONES.

 

Animal-flowers--_A. mesembryanthemum_--'Granny,'

Sir J. Dalyell's celebrated anemone--Original anecdote--_A.

troglodytes_--How to capture actiniæ--A roving 'mess.'--An

intelligent anemone--Diet of the actiniæ--Voracity of these

zoophytes--Defence of certain species--Actiniæ eating

crabs--Their reproductive powers--Size of the 'crass.'--The

Plumose anemone--Its powers of contraction, 45

 

 

CHAPTER IV.

 

EDIBLE CRAB--SHORE CRAB--SPIDER CRAB, ETC.

 

The Partane--Its character defended--Crustaceous demons--The

wolf and the lamb--Interesting anecdote--Reason and

instinct--Anecdote of the Shore crab--'The creature's run

awa''--A crustaceous performer--The Fiddler crab--A little

prodigal--Singular conduct of the Shore crab--The minute

Porcelain crab--_Maia squinado_--_Hyas

araneus_--_Maia_ and _C. mænas_--Anecdote--The

common Pea crab--Pinna and Pinnotheres--The Cray

fish--Masticatory organs of crabs--Fishing for

crabs--Crab fishers, 63

 

 

CHAPTER V.

 

HERMIT CRABS.

 

Enthusiastic students of nature--Aristocratic Hermit

crabs--Swammerdam--Hermit crab and its habits--Anecdote--The

Hermit in a fright--Soldier crab and Limpet--A crustaceous

Diogenes--Prometheus in the tank--The martyr Hermit

crab--The author's pet Blenny--Anecdote, 89

 

 

CHAPTER VI.

 

EXUVIATION OF CRUSTACEA (THE PHENOMENA OF CRABS, ETC.,

CASTING THEIR SHELLS).

 

The Tower of London--A crustaceous armory--The author's

experience on the subject--Reamur and Goldsmith--Rejected

shells of crabs--Anecdote--Hint to the young

aquarian--Exuviation described from personal observation

in several instances--Renewal of injured limbs--Frequency

of exuviation--Effect of diet on crustacea--Exuviation

arrested--Exuviation of the Hermit crab--How the process

is effected, 109

 

 

CHAPTER VII.

 

PRAWNS AND SHRIMPS.

 

Habits of the Prawn--The Common Shrimp--How to catch

shrimps--Conclusion, 135

 

 

CHAPTER VIII.

 

ACORN-BARNACLES--SHIP-BARNACLES.

 

The Common Barnacle described--Exuviation of the

_Balani_--Anecdote--The Ship Barnacle--Barnacle

Geese, 143

 

 

CHAPTER IX.

 

PHYLLODOCE LAMINOSA (THE LAMINATED NEREIS).

 

A rainy day at the sea-shore--Laminated Nereis--Its

tenacity of life--Its unsuitableness for the aquarium--How

the young annelids are produced--Evidence of a French

naturalist, 151

 

 

CHAPTER X.

 

THE FAN-AMPHITRITE.

 

Its renewal of mutilated organs--How to accommodate this

annelid in the tank--The 'case' of the

Fan-Amphitrite, 159

 

 

CHAPTER XI.

 

THE COMMON MUSSEL.

 

Dr. Johnson and Bozzy--Habits of the Mussel--Marine

'at homes'--The Purpura and its habits--Enemies of the

Mussel--Anecdote--Construction of the beard (or

Byssus)--Author's experience--Anecdote of the

mussel--Muscular action of its foot--Threads of the

beard--The bridge at Bideford--Anecdote--The

Mussel tenacious of life--The beard not poisonous--M.

Quatrefage--Mussel beds of Esnandes--Branchiæ of the

Mussel--Food of this bivalve, 163

 

 

CHAPTER XII.

 

TEREBELLA FIGULAS (THE POTTER).

 

Anecdote of the Potter--Its cephalic tentacula--Construction

of its tubular dwelling--_Terebella littoralis_--Curious

anecdote--Branchial organs of this annelid, 189

 

 

CHAPTER XIII.

 

ACALEPHÆ (MEDUSÆ, OR JELLY-FISH).

 

Introduction--Jelly-fish--Whales'

food--Lieutenant Maury--Appearance of the Greenland

Seas--Sir Walter Scott--The girdle of Venus--The

Beröe--_Pulmonigrade acalephæ_--Portuguese

man-of-war--_Hydra-tuba_--Alternation of

generations--Dr. Reid--_Modera-formosa_--_Cyanea

capillata_--Conclusion, 201

 

 

CHAPTER XIV.

 

DORIS EOLIS, ETC.

 

Anecdote--Young Dorides--Doris spawn--_Nudibranchiate

gasteropoda_--Dr. Darwin--Mr. Gosse--A black

Doris--_Bêches de mer_--A Chinese dinner--Bird's

nest soup, and Sea-slug stew, 221

 

 

CHAPTER XV.

 

THE CRAB AND THE DAINTY BEGGAR.

 

Anecdote--The Pholas and Shore-crab--The

_hyaline stylet_--The dainty beggar--The

gizzard of the Pholas--Of what use is the stylet? 233

 

 

CHAPTER XVI.

 

THE PHOLAS, ETC. (ROCK-BORERS).

 

Pholades at home--Habits of the Pholas--_P.

crispata_--The pedal organ--Finny gourmands--How is

the boring operation performed?--Various theories on

the subject--Mr Clark, Professor Owen--The Pholas at

work--The boring process described from personal

observation--Author's remarks on the subject--Pholas

in the tank--Conclusion, 241

 

 

CHAPTER XVII.

 

THE SEA-MOUSE.

 

The Sea-mouse--Bristles of the aphrodite--Its

beautiful plumage (?)--Its weapons

of defence--The spines described--Shape of the

aphrodite, &c., 263