The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-08-02
ANIMALS THAT WEAR CLOTHES.
Some Curious Habits Observed by n Natu
ralist

Some Curious Habits Observed by n Natu-
ralist
Charles f. Holder IN Philadelphia Times
In a certain pool, covered by a bolster
Gus sea at high water, and surrounded
by beds of exposed kelp-covered rocks MT
other times, was a most interesting colony
of sea ancmones. the cousins of the cor
ais.
was in the habit of visiting them when
the tide was favorable, and one morning
when | made my way over the kelp
found pool, with n sandy bottom that
was completely lined with fiower-like ami
mails. 20 closely packed together that 1t
was impossible TO throw bit of crab
anemonc
To all appearances the assemblage had
not moved from one weeks end 10 an
other, until on this occasion / noticed that
all the anemonos had, apparently. made
a journey. inch by inch. to the center OF
the pool, and had donned suits of clothes.
as they We're covered with bits OF sand,
50 that .he culor of the entire inner sur
face OF rhe pool was changed
The change was so marked that 1t was
iiinnihedlstely noticeable, and then came
tain the sand suits? There was no sand
upon the sides of the pool, only upon The
ooluom, ana either they had travelled down
10 the sand or the anemones on the lower
level had passed 1t up-a very Improbable
circumstance.
i found by visiting tho place at high
ude that when the waves came in ms The
tide rose they disturbed the sand on inc
bottom and sent II whirling about ali over
me can, ansmones, each Of which in this way
sun OF sandy arnor; a lime suit laid on
piece by piece. like a mosaic the skin ~
Lhe animal holding every particle chat
Why they donned this queer covering ~
would be difficult TO tell. Perhaps thu
pif; but think the real reason wa.
as a protective measure. M -..-,n"'',
possibly for some reason conpidered fiseis
IN danger and covered itself with Sand 80
IN u res inoled inc rock-a habit found
The sea urchins. especially the short
splned ones. have similar. custom Among
them and give rise 10 the very anpronriatn
name sea hedge hog, the sea irchtn ms
number OF singular organs; arms with
pick up objects and pass them a,any fro,n
one to another. Thus II any dis, rreaa NJ
objecl drops on the urchin Il IL plcked ,,r
by one little hand, passed to another n n nd
so on until dropped upon the baton "'''
No one that am aware OF has ever oh
served the operation. but at Certain ttnes
the -urchins cloThe thamselvrs 80
the fashion Of the -anemones ma :
have found them so covered with na,tinia
OF sand aud shell that Il was difnc,i' ~
distinguish them from the surro,ndirs
rock
Whether the material that co,x,,,,,,.
this SUIT of clothes is taken up hv ,he ~,
tie pincer-like hands and passed from snc
to the other until the animal Is coyer"d
is d fhculi to determine; In fact, no,hipe
is klrewn about II except that In sn,rs
mysterious way the sea-urchin s,,ceeefs
IN covering himself with so perfect n anil
that It is often concealed from view ann
would be passed by by almost every
enemy.
Certain shellfsh have a CURIOUS habit OF
covering Their shells with bits OF she'll
cementing the pieces 50 that they sra re,
in the structure OF their nests seem 10
don suits Of clothes. One OF the worms
builds up about itself. several inches above
the surface OF the ground, a little c9stie
in which 1t lives. This is made ~ part
cles Of sand and stone which II packs Ia
mud. weaving in bits OF grass 10 hold Il
solid on tSp :. o.ad iSst o. the aws WEE, n.