Page:The aquarium - an unveiling of the wonders of the deep sea.djvu/209

162 points, opens and expands them, forcing apart the gravel: at the same moment the posterior part of the body is brought down into the hollow thus made, and the action of the feet is repeated. The process is continued until the hinder parts are covered, and the muzzle alone is visible, with the two claws. Thus it sits quite still, reminding one of a toad, the broad triangular pedipalps that fit so close, occasionally opening, like the folding doors of a tiny cabinet, and allowing the palpi to be thrust out to wipe the minute eyes. The face, when examined with a lens through the glass walls of the Aquarium, has a most funny expression, being singularly like that of an ancient man.

Like many marine animals, the Ebalia uses the hours of night as its chief season of activity. As long as the candles are in the room, it remains pretty still, but as soon as darkness reigns it sets out on its travels. Not indeed with the railway pace of some of its fellows, does our little ancient travel; he is but a "slow coach;" but he gropes about among the pebbles, and is usually found the next morning, buried at some distance from the point where the previous evening had left him. Fortunately his movements are easily traced; for the tall ventricose parasite which he carries on his back cannot easily be concealed; and this betrays the secret of his hiding-place.

I kept my little prisoner for five or six weeks; and he might have survived an indefinite time, but for the violence of a powerful neighbour. One morning I saw his shell and limbs broken to fragments, and emptied of all the soft parts. More than suspicion