ut with the end of his malacca cane in the sandy
shingle. "What is it, sir?"

"A pholas," he answered. "It is one of the most curious burrowing
animals known, and has been a puzzle to naturalists for years, until
Gosse discovered its secret, as to how it succeeded with its soft and
tender shell in penetrating into the hardest rocks, within whose
substance it is frequently found completely buried, so that, like the
`Fly in Amber,' one wonders how it ever got there!"

"What did you say it was?" asked Mrs Gilmour. "A `fowl,' sure? Faith
it's a quare-looken' bird, Cap'en dear!"

The Captain smiled, but he was not to be tempted away from his hobby.

"The pholas, I said, ma'am," he replied. "The `pholas dactylus,' as
scientific people call it, which, until Gosse, as I said, discovered its
mode of action, was quite a puzzle to every one; although, now that the
mystery is out, all wonder it was not cleared up before! If you look at
the head of the shell, you'll see it is provided with a regular series
of little pointed spines at the end of the upper portion. These spines
are of a much harder material than the main part of the shell, and are
fixed into it, as you could notice better with a microscope, just in the
same way as the steel points for the notes of any air are attached to
the barrel of a common musical-box, projecting like so many teeth."

"Yes, I can see them," observed Bob, who was listening attentively.
"Look, Nell!"

"Well, then," the Captain went on, "besides this toothed head of his,
the animal is provided with a sucker at his mouth, by which he can hold
on to any wooden pile or stonework he may wish to perforate so as to
make his nest inside; and, gripping this firmly with his sucker and
working the head of his shell slowly backwards and forwards with a sort
of circular rocking motion, he gradually bores his way into the object
of his affections, getting rid of the refuse he excavates by the aid of
a natural siphon that runs through his body, and by means of which he
blows all his waste borings away--curious, isn't it?"

"Very," said Mrs Gilmour; while the children, equally interested,
wanted to learn not only all the Captain could tell them of this
peculiar little animal, but also everything he knew of the other wonders
of the shore. "Sure I wish I knew all you do, Captain!"

But, if the Captain was learned and good-natured, the children taxed his
patience, Miss Nellie especially.

She had not