glaucus-or the wonders of the shore(格劳高斯)-第17部分
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very much like a head of 〃curled kale；〃 but of the loveliest white and
primrose； in the centre whereof lies perdu a mouth with sturdy teeth … if
indeed they； as well as the whole inside of the beast； have not been
lately got rid of； and what you see be not a mere bag； without intestine or
other organ： but only for the time being。 For hear it； worn…out
epicures； and old Indians who bemoan your livers； this little Holothuria
knows a secret which； if he could tell it； you would be glad to buy of
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him for thousands sterling。 To him blue pill and muriatic acid are
superfluous； and travels to German Brunnen a waste of time。 Happy
Holothuria！ who possesses really the secret of everlasting youth； which
ancient fable bestowed on the serpent and the eagle。 For when his teeth
ache； or his digestive organs trouble him； all he has to do is just to cast
up forthwith his entire inside； and； faisant maigre for a month or so；
grow a fresh set； and then eat away as merrily as ever。 His name； if you
wish to consult so triumphant a hygeist； is Cucumaria Pentactes： but he
has many a stout cousin round the Scotch coast； who knows the
antibilious panacea as well as he； and submits； among the northern
fishermen； to the rather rude and undeserved name of sea…puddings； one
of which grows in Shetland to the enormous length of three feet；
rivalling there his huge congeners； who display their exquisite plumes on
every tropic coral reef。 （9）
Next； what are those bright little buds； like salmon…coloured Banksia
roses half expanded； sitting closely on the stone？ Touch them； the soft
part is retracted； and the orange flower of flesh is transformed into a pale
pink flower of stone。 That is the Madrepore； Caryophyllia Smithii
（Plate V。 fig。 2）； one of our south coast rarities： and see； on the lip of
the last one； which we have carefully scooped off with the chisel； two
little pink towers of stone； delicately striated； drop them into this small
bottle of sea…water； and from the top of each tower issues every half…
second … what shall we call it？ … a hand or a net of finest hairs；
clutching at something invisible to our grosser sense。 That is the
Pyrgoma； parasitic only （as far as we know） on the lip of this same rare
Madrepore； a little 〃cirrhipod；〃 the cousin of those tiny barnacles which
roughen every rock （a larger sort whereof I showed you on the
Turritella）； and of those larger ones also who burrow in the thick hide of
the whale； and； borne about upon his mighty sides； throw out their tiny
casting nets； as this Pyrgoma does； to catch every passing animalcule；
and sweep them into the jaws concealed within its shell。 And this
creature； rooted to one spot through life and death； was in its infancy a
free swimming animal； hovering from place to place upon delicate ciliae；
till； having sown its wild oats； it settled down in life； built itself a good
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stone house； and became a landowner； or rather a glebae adscriptus； for
ever and a day。 Mysterious destiny！ … yet not so mysterious as that of
the free medusoid young of every polype and coral； which ends as a
rooted tree of horn or stone； and seems to the eye of sensuous fancy to
have literally degenerated into a vegetable。 Of them you must read for
yourself in Mr。 Gosse's book； in the meanwhile he shall tell you
something of the beautiful Madrepores themselves。 His description；
（10） by far the best yet published； should be read in full； we must
content ourselves with extracts。
〃Doubtless you are familiar with the stony skeleton of our
Madrepore； as it appears in museums。 It consists of a number of thin
calcareous plates standing up edgewise； and arranged in a radiating
manner round a low centre。 A little below the margin their
individuality is lost in the deposition of rough calcareous matter。 。 。 。 The
general form is more or less cylindrical； commonly wider at top than just
above the bottom。 。 。 。 This is but the skeleton； and though it is a very
pretty object； those who are acquainted with it alone； can form but a very
poor idea of the beauty of the living animal。 。 。 。 Let it； after being torn
from the rock； recover its equanimity； then you will see a pellucid
gelatinous flesh emerging from between the plates； and little exquisitely
formed and coloured tentacula； with white clubbed tips fringing the sides
of the cup…shaped cavity in the centre； across which stretches the oval
disc marked with a star of some rich and brilliant colour； surrounding the
central mouth； a slit with white crenated lips； like the orifice of one of
those elegant cowry shells which we put upon our mantelpieces。 The
mouth is always more or less prominent； and can be protruded and
expanded to an astonishing extent。 The space surrounding the lips is
commonly fawn colour； or rich chestnut…brown； the star or vandyked
circle rich red； pale vermilion； and sometimes the most brilliant emerald
green； as brilliant as the gorget of a humming…bird。〃
And what does this exquisitely delicate creature do with its pretty
mouth？ Alas for fact！ It sips no honey…dew； or fruits from paradise。 …
〃I put a minute spider； as large as a pin's head； into the water； pushing it
down to the coral。 The instant it touched the tip of a tentacle； it
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adhered； and was drawn in with the surrounding tentacles between the
plates。 With a lens I saw the small mouth slowly open； and move over
to that side； the lips gaping unsymmetrically； while with a movement as
imperceptible as that of the hour hand of a watch； the tiny prey was
carried along between the plates to the corner of the mouth。 The mouth；
however； moved most； and at length reached the edges of the plates；
gradually closed upon the insect； and then returned to its usual place in
the centre。〃
Mr。 Gosse next tried the fairy of the walking mouth with a house… fly；
who escaped only by hard fighting； and at last the gentle creature； after
swallowing and disgorging various large pieces of shell…fish； found
viands to its taste in 〃the lean of cooked meat and portions of
earthworms；〃 filling up the intervals by a perpetual dessert of
microscopic animalcules； whirled into that lovely avernus； its mouth； by
the currents of the delicate ciliae which clothe every tentacle。 The fact
is； that the Madrepore； like those glorious sea…anemones whose living
flowers stud every pool； is by profession a scavenger and a feeder on
carrion； and being as useful as he is beautiful； really comes under the
rule which he seems at first to break； that handsome is who handsome
does。 Another species of Madrepore （11） was discovered on our Devon
coast by Mr。 Gosse； more gaudy； though not so delicate in hue as our
Caryophyllia。 Mr。 Gosse's locality； for this and numberless other
curiosities； is Ilfracombe； on the north coast of Devon。 My specimens
came from Lundy Island； in the mouth of the Bristol Channel； or more
properly from that curious 〃Rat Island〃 to the south of it； where still
lingers the black long…tailed English rat； exterminated everywhere else
by his sturdier brown cousin of the Hanoverian dynasty。
Look； now； at these tiny saucers of the thinnest ivory； the largest not
bigger than a silver threepence； which contain in their centres a milk…
white crust of stone； pierced； as you see under the magnifier； into a
thousand cells； each with its living architect within。 Here are two kinds：
in one the tubular cells radiate from the centre； giving it the appearance
of a tiny compoun
