_
BORING LIFE
147
wide in its distribution.
Since it is
if ever, found
,
apart from the Gribble it seems as though it needs the
pioneer assistance of that highly competent animal bef0re
it'can itself attack the …wood with any: success.
In the
warmer
seas
in particular there is a common crustaèean
.
borer called Sphæroma which
like a largeGribble,
.
to which it “is
cloSely related… It often ”measures
almost half»an inch in length and.c'onstructs burroWs ab”o_uta
fth of ah inch wide.
It has the habit, When disturbed,
of rollingitself up into a round ball.
It does not do so
_
much damage as the other two“ crustacèans but can work,
’
as they cannot, in water that is almost, or.entirely, fresh.
’
.
STONE BORERS
'
Inspite of its greater hardness, stone is bored into by a
greater variety of animals than is wood, although none of
'
the
stone
borers
can
compare with” the Shipworm in
efciency.
'Amongst the_
is also attacked, Strange. though it may sound, by plants.
Limestone rock’and Eespecially oÿster shells (made of the ,”
material) 'are often 'eateh'into by a boi‘ig
»
spongè_ called, Clione (Plate . 5 5).
The surface of the rock
or shell is found covered with many minute holes which
’
lead into branching passages within which the sponge
lives.
Oyster shells may be completely destroyed in this
manner and, on sdme oyster beds the boring sponge is a
serious pest ; it seldom:penetrates far into rock, tWO inches
at the most.
_How the sponge bores is not known, probably
'
by chemical means for it can hardly do so_ mechanically.
'/,
Several worms spend their lives within tubes which they
have hollowed out in rock.
Though very small they often
‘
occur in great numbers.
The tubes are often U—shapéd
but may be oval or in the form of a gure of &
Though
L
BORING LIFE
147
wide in its distribution.
Since it is
if ever, found
,
apart from the Gribble it seems as though it needs the
pioneer assistance of that highly competent animal bef0re
it'can itself attack the …wood with any: success.
In the
warmer
seas
in particular there is a common crustaèean
.
borer called Sphæroma which
like a largeGribble,
.
to which it “is
cloSely related… It often ”measures
almost half»an inch in length and.c'onstructs burroWs ab”o_uta
fth of ah inch wide.
It has the habit, When disturbed,
of rollingitself up into a round ball.
It does not do so
_
much damage as the other two“ crustacèans but can work,
’
as they cannot, in water that is almost, or.entirely, fresh.
’
.
STONE BORERS
'
Inspite of its greater hardness, stone is bored into by a
greater variety of animals than is wood, although none of
'
the
stone
borers
can
compare with” the Shipworm in
efciency.
'Amongst the_
is also attacked, Strange. though it may sound, by plants.
Limestone rock’and Eespecially oÿster shells (made of the ,”
material) 'are often 'eateh'into by a boi‘ig
»
spongè_ called, Clione (Plate . 5 5).
The surface of the rock
or shell is found covered with many minute holes which
’
lead into branching passages within which the sponge
lives.
Oyster shells may be completely destroyed in this
manner and, on sdme oyster beds the boring sponge is a
serious pest ; it seldom:penetrates far into rock, tWO inches
at the most.
_How the sponge bores is not known, probably
'
by chemical means for it can hardly do so_ mechanically.
'/,
Several worms spend their lives within tubes which they
have hollowed out in rock.
Though very small they often
‘
occur in great numbers.
The tubes are often U—shapéd
but may be oval or in the form of a gure of &
Though
L