34
'THE SEAS
is the at Lig1a, sometimes an inch and a half long and
closely resembling the common woodlouse ; this is every,
where abundant and runs about, especially at dusk, usually
,
«
just above high—water mark, for it is a beast which is by no
means
dependent on sea water, a slight moisture being
apparently all that it needs.
Associated with it are a
number of sand—hoppers (Talifrus, Orahestia, Gammarus)
'
which, when a stone or pile of dried weed is moved, go
jumping away in all directions.
Unlike Ligia, they are
‘
not from above below but from side to side, a
characteristic which separates the group of crustaceans to :-' _“
which
belong, the lsopods, from the Amphipods.
The insects include some beetles, but especially the little
spring-tails. Lower on the shore, where the tide always
reaches, are found a great variety of worms, such as Nemer—
times,
the most conspicuous is the long
“
boot—lace
.
worm ”
(Limus) usually tied '
in a tangled mass which
is
almost
impossible to disentangle‘ without breaking
,
for it maybe many yards long.
There are also tiny at_
_
worms-which move like semi—transparent lms, over the
,
Surface of stones or On the under side of the Surface lm in
pools.
Here we nd great numbers of the more highly
organized bristle—worms,
which are the bright
green Eulalia viridis, whichis commonall over rocks, and
"
the yellowCiwatulus cirratus which lives in patches of Sand
or mud beneath the rocks with only its lamentous tentacles
to be seen…
Still more wormsare found nearer to low_'
water mark, the commonest being perhaps“ the handsome
Nereis oultm‘fem, of varied colours and six inchesor more
in length.
It is frequently used as a. hait, being known as
“
rag—worm
”
in many parts._ — A variety of little worms,
?
'
broad and attened with; two tows of large scales on their
hacks, known as_ Polynoids, are common everywhere,
Of the numerous crustaceans the largest and commonest