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it to the north and south； without a glow passing through our
hearts； as we remember the terrible and glorious pageant which
passed by in the glorious July days of 1588； when the Spanish
Armada ventured slowly past Berry Head； with Elizabeth's gallant
pack of Devon captains （for the London fleet had not yet joined）
following fast in its wake； and dashing into the midst of the vast
line； undismayed by size and numbers； while their kin and friends
stood watching and praying on the cliffs； spectators of Britain's
Salamis。 The white line of houses； too； on the other side of the
bay； is Brixham； famed as the landing…place of William of Orange；
the stone on the pier…head； which marks his first footsteps on
British ground； is sacred in the eyes of all true English Whigs；
and close by stands the castle of the settler of Newfoundland； Sir
Humphrey Gilbert； Raleigh's half…brother； most learned of all
Elizabeth's admirals in life； most pious and heroic in death。 And
as for scenery； though it can boast of neither mountain peak nor
dark fiord； and would seem tame enough in the eyes of a western
Scot or Irishman； yet Torbay surely has a soft beauty of its own。
The rounded hills slope gently to the sea； spotted with squares of
emerald grass； and rich red fallow fields； and parks full of
stately timber trees。 Long lines of tall elms run down to the very
water's edge； their boughs unwarped by any blast； here and there
apple orchards are bending under their loads of fruit； and narrow
strips of water…meadow line the glens； where the red cattle are
already lounging in richest pastures； within ten yards of the rocky
pebble beach。 The shore is silent now； the tide far out： but six
hours hence it will be hurling columns of rosy foam high into the
sunlight； and sprinkling passengers； and cattle； and trim gardens
which hardly know what frost and snow may be； but see the flowers
of autumn meet the flowers of spring； and the old year linger
smilingly to twine a garland for the new。
No wonder that such a spot as Torquay； with its delicious Italian
climate； and endless variety of rich woodland； flowery lawn；
fantastic rock…cavern； and broad bright tide…sand； sheltered from
every wind of heaven except the soft south…east； should have become
a favourite haunt； not only for invalids； but for naturalists。
Indeed； it may well claim the honour of being the original home of
marine zoology and botany in England； as the Firth of Forth； under
the auspices of Sir J。 G。 Dalyell； has been for Scotland。 For here
worked Montagu； Turton； and Mrs。 Griffith； to whose extraordinary
powers of research English marine botany almost owes its existence；
and who survived to an age long beyond the natural term of man； to
see； in her cheerful and honoured old age； that knowledge become
popular and general which she pursued for many a year unassisted
and alone。 Here； too； the scientific succession is still
maintained by Mr。 Pengelly and Mr。 Gosse； the latter of whom by his
delightful and； happily； well…known books has done more for the
study of marine zoology than any other living man。 Torbay；
moreover； from the variety of its rocks； aspects； and sea…floors；
where limestones alternate with traps； and traps with slates； while
at the valley…mouth the soft sandstones and hard conglomerates of
the new red series slope down into the tepid and shallow waves；
affords an abundance and variety of animal and vegetable life；
unequalled； perhaps； in any other part of Great Britain。 It cannot
boast； certainly； of those strange deep…sea forms which Messrs。
Alder； Goodsir； and Laskey dredge among the lochs of the western
Highlands； and the sub…marine mountain glens of the Zetland sea；
but it has its own varieties； its own ever…fresh novelties： and in
spite of all the research which has been lavished on its shores； a
naturalist cannot； I suspect； work there for a winter without
discovering forms new to science； or meeting with curiosities which
have escaped all observers； since the lynx eye of Montagu espied
them full fifty years ago。
Follow us； then； reader； in imagination； out of the gay watering…
place； with its London shops and London equipages； along the broad
road beneath the sunny limestone cliff； tufted with golden furze；
past the huge oaks and green slopes of Tor Abbey； and past the
fantastic rocks of Livermead； scooped by the waves into a labyrinth
of double and triple caves； like Hindoo temples； upborne on pillars
banded with yellow and white and red； a week's study； in form and
colour and chiaro…oscuro； for any artist； and a mile or so further
along a pleasant road； with land…locked glimpses of the bay； to the
broad sheet of sand which lies between the village of Paignton and
the sea … sands trodden a hundred times by Montagu and Turton；
perhaps； by Dillwyn and Gaertner； and many another pioneer of
science。 And once there； before we look at anything else； come
down straight to the sea marge； for yonder lies； just left by the
retiring tide； a mass of life such as you will seldom see again。
It is somewhat ugly； perhaps； at first sight； for ankle…deep are
spread； for some ten yards long by five broad； huge dirty bivalve
shells； as large as the hand； each with its loathly grey and black
siphons hanging out； a confused mass of slimy death。 Let us walk
on to some cleaner heap； and leave these； the great Lutraria
Elliptica； which have been lying buried by thousands in the sandy
mud； each with the point of its long siphon above the surface；
sucking in and driving out again the salt water on which it feeds；
till last night's ground…swell shifted the sea…bottom； and drove
them up hither to perish helpless； but not useless； on the beach。
See； close by is another shell bed； quite as large； but comely
enough to please any eye。 What a variety of forms and colours are
there； amid the purple and olive wreaths of wrack； and bladder…
weed； and tangle （ore…weed； as they call it in the south）； and the
delicate green ribbons of the Zostera （the only English flowering
plant which grows beneath the sea）。 What are they all？ What are
the long white razors？ What are the delicate green…grey scimitars？
What are the tapering brown spires？ What the tufts of delicate
yellow plants like squirrels' tails； and lobsters' horns； and
tamarisks； and fir…trees； and all other finely cut animal and
vegetable forms？ What are the groups of grey bladders； with
something like a little bud at the tip？ What are the hundreds of
little pink…striped pears？ What those tiny babies' heads； covered
with grey prickles instead of hair？ The great red star…fish； which
Ulster children call 〃the bad man's hands；〃 and the great whelks；
which the youth of Musselburgh know as roaring buckies； these we
have seen before； but what； oh what； are the red capsicums？ …
Yes； what are the red capsicums？ and why are they poking； snapping；
starting； crawling； tumbling wildly over each other； rattling about
the huge mahogany cockles； as big as a child's two fists； out of
which they are protruded？ Mark them well； for you will perhaps
never see them again。 They are a Mediterranean species； or rather
three species； left behind upon these extreme south…western coasts；
probably at the vanishing of that warmer ancient epoch； which
clothed the Lizard Point with the Cornish heath； and the Killarney
mountains with Spanish saxifrages； and other relics of a flora
whose home is now the Iberian peninsula and the sunny cliffs of the
Riviera。 Rare on every other shore； even in the west； it abounds
in Torbay at certain； or rather uncertain； times； to so prodigious
an amount； that the dredge； after five minutes' scrape； will
sometimes come up choked full of this great cockle only。 You will
see hundreds of them in every cove for miles this day； a seeming
waste of life； which would be awful； in our eyes； were not the
Divine Ruler； as His custom is； making this destruction the means
of fresh creation； by burying them in the sands； as soon as washed
on shore； to fertilize the strata of some future world。 It is but
a shell…fish truly； but the great Cuvier thought it remarkable
enough to devote to its anatomy elaborate descriptions and
drawings； which have done more perhaps than any others to
illustrate the curious economy of the whole class of bivalve； or
double…shelled； mollusca。 （Plate II。 Fig。 3。）
That red capsicum is the foot of the animal contained in the
cockleshell。 By its aid it crawls； leaps； and burrows in the sand；
where it lies drinking in the salt water through one of its
siphons； and discharging it again through the other。 Put the shell
into a rock pool； or a basin of water； and you will see the siphons
clearly。 The valves gape apart some three…quarters of an inch。
The semi…pellucid orange 〃mantle〃 f