about seven o'clock
Amongst the specimens of these branches I noticed some placenae , with thin unequal shells , a kind of ostracion peculiar to the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean ; some orange lucinae with rounded shells ; rockfish three feet and a half long , which raised themselves under the waves like hands ready to seize one . There were also some panopyres , slightly luminous ; and lastly , some oculines , like magnificent fans , forming one of the richest vegetations of these seas . In the midst of these living plants , and under the arbours of the hydrophytes , were layers of clumsy articulates , particularly some raninae , whose carapace formed a slightly rounded triangle ; and some horrible looking parthenopes . At about seven o'clock we found ourselves at last surveying the oyster-banks on which the pearl-oysters are reproduced by millions . Captain Nemo pointed with his hand to the enormous heap of oysters ; and I could well understand that this mine was inexhaustible , for Nature 's creative power is far beyond man 's instinct of destruction . Ned Land , faithful to his instinct , hastened to fill a net which he carried by his side with some of the finest specimens . But we could not stop .