78 CONCHOLOGY OF HERM, 



geographies. Yet is Herm a very notable islet, some three miles in cir- 

 cumference, abounding in interest to the antiquary, and as forming one 

 of that remarkable Archipelago of primitive rocks, comprising Alderney, 

 Guernsey, Serq, and Jethou, not wanting in claims to special and separate 

 consideration, but especially noticeable in respect of the field it offers for 

 the study of Marine Zoology, in which regard it is not surpassed in 

 interest by any spot of similar extent in the British dominions. 



In the summer of 1854, in the course of a ramble amongst the Channel 

 Islands, I passed two days at Herra, (amongst the most enjoyable I have 

 ever spent,) in company with a friend, who like myself, was bent upon 

 investigating the "treasures of the deep." 



I must premise, by way of hint to those who may come after, that 

 our accommodation was somewhat of the roughest. Half a dozen i-ude 

 stone cottages suffice to shelter the fisher population of the island, two 

 of which adjoining each other, under the proprietorship of Mr. Touzeau, 

 offered, at that time, the only accommodation to be found for visitors. 

 This was our head-quarters, and comprised a small and scantily-furnished 

 sitting-room down-stairs, and a double-bedded sleeping apartment above; 

 not luxurious, but still sufficient for our requirements; nor should we 

 have had much to complain of, had the commissariat been placed upon a 

 somewhat better footing; but, being dependent upon Guernsey for sup- 

 plies of every description, if the weather is from any cause unfavourable, 

 these supplies are absolutely cut off, and there is nothing left in that 

 case but to dine with Duke Humphrey, or to make as good a dinner as 

 you can of the produce of the fishermen's nets; which latter was our 

 alternative; and although, as Horace says, 



"Jejunus raro stomachus vulgaria temnit," 



still, boiled bass and salt is rather vapid food. Milk, too, was hardly 

 procurable, a small teacup-full morning and evening being all that the 

 sole farmer in the island could supply; and as our host's coffee was 

 extremely acrid, we should have been hard put to it in the matter of 

 beverages had he not fortunately possessed a good stock of 'bitter ale* 

 in bottle, with the aid of which we made shift to get on tolerably well. 



It will be seen from this that while under the roof of 'old Touzeau,' 

 we did not lead the life of Sybarites, but our time was so fully and 

 agreeably employed while in-doors, in examining, cleaning, and arranging 

 the spoils collected during the day, that our gastronomic deficiencies came 

 to be regarded as matters of very insignificant concern. 



We had selected for our visit to Herm the period of the lowest spring- 

 tides, and were gratified on the first morning after our arrival by seeing the 

 sea-bottom laid bare to a considerable distance from the coast, upon which 



