These odds and ends are overgrown, however, with weeds and
zoophytes, and (like an ugly house covered by creepers) look picturesque
rather than otherwise. The worms have small bristles down their bodies,
which serve as feet, and help them to scramble up inside their tubes,
when they wish to poke their heads out and breathe. These heads are
delicate, bright-coloured plumes. Each species has its own plume of its
own special shape and colour. They are only to be seen when the animal
is alive. A good many little _Serpulae_ have been born in the Aquarium.
Through the next window--Tank No. 3--you may see more tube-worms, with
ray-like, daisy heads, and soft muddy tubes. They are _Sabellae_.
Have you ever see a "sea-mouse"? Probably you have: preserved in a
bottle. It is only like a mouse from being about the size of a mouse's
body, without legs, and with a lot of rainbow-coloured hairs. You may be
astonished to hear that it is classed among the worms. There is a
sea-mouse in the Great Aquarium. I did not see him; perhaps because he
is given to burrowing. If he is not in one of the two tanks just named
he is probably in No. 21 or No. 25. He is so handsome dead and in a
bottle, that he must be gorgeous to behold alive and in a pool.
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