按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
few years since； almost the only known living species was the exquisite
and rare Pentacrinus asteria； from deep water off the Windward Isles of
the West Indies。
Of this you will see a specimen or two both at Liverpool and in the
British Museum； and near them； probably； specimens of the new…old
Crinoids； discovered of late years by Professor Sars； Mr。 Gwyn Jeffreys；
Dr。 Carpenter； Dr。 Wyville Thomson； and the other deep… sea disciples of
the mythic Glaucus； the fisherman； who； enamoured of the wonders of
the sea； plunged into the blue abyss once and for all； and became himself
〃the blue old man of the sea。〃
Next look at the corals； and Gorgonias； and all the sea…fern tribe of
branching polypidoms； and last； but not least； at the glass sponges； first
at the Euplectella； or Venus's flower…basket； which lives embedded in the
mud of the seas of the Philippines； supported by a glass frill 〃standing up
round it like an Elizabethan ruff。〃 Twenty years ago there was but one
specimen in Europe： now you may buy one for a pound in any
curiosity shop。 I advise you to do so； and to keep … as I have seen done
… under a glass case； as a delight to your eyes； one of the most exquisite；
both for form and texture； of natural objects。
Then look at the Hyalonemas； or glass…rope ocean floor by a twisted
wisp of strong flexible flint needles； somewhat on the principle of a
screw…pile。 So strange and complicated is their structure； that
naturalists for a long while could literally make neither head nor tail of
them； as long as they had only Japanese specimens to study； some of
which the Japanese dealers had； of malice prepense； stuck upside down
into Pholas…borings in stones。 Which was top and which bottom；
which the thing itself； and which special parasites growing on it；
39
… Page 40…
Glaucus/or The Wonders of the Shore
whether it was a sponge； or a zoophyte； or something else； at one time
even whether it was natural； or artificial and a make… up； … could not be
settled； even till a year or two since。 But the discovery of the same； or
a similar； species in abundance from the Butt of the Lows down to
Setubal on the Portuguese coast； where the deep…water shark fishers call
it 〃sea…whip；〃 has given our savants specimens enough to make up their
minds … that they really know little or nothing about it； and probably will
never know。
And do not forget； lastly； to ask； whether at Liverpool or at the
British Museum； for the Holtenias and their congeners； … hollow sponges
built up of glassy spicules； and rooted in the mud by glass hairs； in some
cases between two and three feet long； as flexible and graceful as tresses
of snow…white silk。
Look at these； and a hundred kindred forms； and then see how nature
is not only 〃maxima in minimis〃 … greatest in her least； but often
〃pulcherrima in abditis〃 … fairest in her most hidden works； and how the
Creative Spirit has lavished； as it were； unspeakable artistic skill on
lowly…organized creature； never till now beheld by man； and buried； not
only in foul mud； but in their own unsightly heap of living jelly。
But so it was from the beginning； … and this planet was not made for
man alone。 Countless ages before we appeared on earth the depths of
the old chalk…ocean teemed with forms as beautiful and perfect as those；
their lineal descendants； which the dredge now brings up from the
Atlantic sea…floor； and if there were … as my reason tells me that there
must have been … final moral causes for their existence； the only ones
which we have a right to imagine are these … that all； down to the lowest
Rhizopod； might delight themselves； however dimly； in existing； and
that the Lord might delight Himself in them。
Thus； much … alas！ how little … about the wonders of the deep。 We；
who are no deep…sea dredgers； must return humbly to the wonders of the
shore。 And first； as after descending the gap in the sea…wall we walk
along the ribbed floor of hard yellow sand； let me ask you to give a
sharp look…out for a round grey disc； about as big as a penny…piece；
peeping out on the surface。 No； that is not it； that little lump： open it；
40
… Page 41…
Glaucus/or The Wonders of the Shore
and you will find within one of the common little Venus gallina。 … The
closet collectors have given it some new name now； and no thanks to
them： they are always changing the names； instead of studying the live
animals where Nature has put them； in which case they would have no
time for word…inventing。 Nay； I verify suspect that the names grow； like
other things； at least； they get longer and longer and more jaw…breaking
every year。 The little bivalve； however； finding itself left by the tide；
has wisely shut up its siphons； and； by means of its foot and its edges；
buried itself in a comfortable bath of cool wet sand； till the sea shall
come back； and make it safe to crawl and lounge about on the surface；
smoking the sea…water instead of tobacco。 Neither is that depression
what we seek。 Touch it； and out poke a pair of astonished and inquiring
horns： it is a long…armed crab； who saw us coming； and wisely
shovelled himself into the sand by means of his nether…end。 Corystes
Cassivelaunus is his name； which he is said to have acquired from the
marks on his back； which are somewhat like a human face。 〃Those
long antennae；〃 says my friend； Mr。 Lloyd （6） … I have not verified the
fact； but believe it； as he knows a great deal about crabs； and I know
next to nothing … 〃form a tube through which a current of water passes
into the crab's gills； free from the surrounding sand。〃 Moreover； it is
only the male who has those strangely long fore…arms and claws； the
female contenting herself with limbs of a more moderate length。
Neither is that； though it might be； the hole down which what we seek
has vanished： but that burrow contains one of the long white razors
which you saw cast on shore at Paignton。 The boys close by are boring
for them with iron rods armed with a screw； and taking them in to sell in
Torquay market； as excellent food。 But there is one； at last … a grey disc
pouting up through the sand。 Touch it； and it is gone down； quick as
light。 We must dig it out； and carefully； for it is a delicate monster。 At
last； after ten minutes' careful work； we have brought up； from a foot
depth or more … what？ A thick； dirty； slimy worm； without head or tail；
form or colour。 A slug has more artistic beauty about him。 Be it so。
At home in the aquarium （where； alas！ he will live but for a day or two；
under the new irritation of light） he will make a very different figure。
41
… Page 42…
Glaucus/or The Wonders of the Shore
That is one of the rarest of British sea… animals； Peachia hastata （Pl。 XII。
Fig。 1）； which differs from most other British Actiniae in this； that
instead of having like them a walking disc； it has a free open lower end；
with which （I know not how） it buries itself upright in the sand； with its