Date: Fri 13-Mar-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: MICHEL

Quick Words:

schools-Sea-Squirts

Full Text:

Visitors From The Sea

(with cuts)

BY MICHELE HOGAN

Are horseshoe crabs ticklish?

Marine biologist Christine Lener showed the children at Congregational

Cooperative Nursery School how to gently tickle a horseshoe crab underneath to

make its body fold up.

The kids giggled and tried it again.

As children gathered their courage, some even held the horseshoe crab all by

themselves.

They cradled it in the palms of their hands, mimicking the obvious respect

that Mrs Lener holds for these creatures.

The children learned never to lift these crabs by the tail, because the tail

could break off and leave the crab unable to turn over if a wave knocked it

upside down.

Mrs Lener brought a variety of sea creatures, including a lobster, two types

of crabs, star fish and many live shells, which she explained to the children

were "on loan" from the ocean.

She said that she would take them back and set them free after their visit.

She showed the children how a crab known as a "decorator crab" liked the

seaweed on her back, because it helped her hide in the mud.

Children identified boy crabs and girl crabs. (Boy crabs have a dark triangle

shape underneath and girls have a circle.)

The children begged Mrs Lener to let the crabs walk on the carpet, but after

carefully examining the crabs' pointed feet and comparing them to their own,

they realized that points would be hard to walk on.

As one boy put it, "You'd fall on your head!"

Although the lobster and the crabs were the stars of the show, children also

learned about the many shells, egg cases and sponges that Mrs Lener handed

around the group.

Mrs Lener is a marine education specialist who used to work for the Maritime

Center.

When her own children were young, she decided to start her own home business

bringing creatures from the sea to groups of children aged three to eight. Her

business, Sea Squirts, has kept her busy, visiting area camps, children's

groups and birthday parties.

Kathy Murdy, Director of Congregational Co-op Nursery School, said she has had

a wonderful response from parents and children about the Sea Squirts' visit.

Anyone interested in learning more about Sea Squirts can call 778-1201.