Tides and Trails

Novelist John Steinbeck's best friend was Ed Ricketts, a marine biologist and pioneering ecologist who published Between Pacific Tides. Ricketts' masterwork is a classic not only of marine biology but also of literature. The science in the book is mind-blowing; the writing is muscular. Ricketts provided the model for "Doc," the beer-guzzling philosopher-scientist of Steinbeck's classic Cannery Row. Ricketts also inspired other literary luminaries such as Henry Miller and Jos

Like an octopus, the tidepool sculpin, Oligocottus maculatus, can change color to blend with its background. The sculpin's chameleon skills are slow and subtle compared to the quick-change artistry of an octopus, which flashes color in a fraction of a second, allowing it to instantly vanish. Nevertheless, the sculpin is a master of disguise. This fish that hunts tiny invertebrates in tidepools and avoids birds and larger fish can change costumes to match a broad palette of co