A FOURTH MEDLEY. 195 



Swift, (Cypselus apus.) — On the same day, May 17th., I saw two pairs 

 of this bird. 



To proceed from fowl to fish: — 



Double-spotted Goby, ( Gohius Ruthersparri.) — On April 22nd. a specimen 

 of this rare fish was brought me. 



Fifteen-spined Stickleback, (Oasterosteus spinachia.) — About the 11th. of 

 May, a female just at the spawning was brought me. It had but fourteen 

 spines. Much about the same time specimens of the Common Pipe-Fish> 

 [Syngnathus acus,) and of the Snake Pipe-Fish, were also got. 



Miller's Top-not, (Rhombus hirtus.) — A female, full of roe, was caught 

 "in shore" in the nets used by the boys for catching crabs, on May 17th. 

 This is one of our rarest fishes in the Frith. 



Leda caudata. — In the month of April I obtained from a mass of sand 

 and zoophytes, a whole specimen of this rare, (at least here) shell. Several 

 valves have been formerly got. 



Actinia dianihus and A. crassieornis. — On May 17th. a fisherman brought 

 up on his lines a lump of coal, having on it four of the largest Actinias 

 I ever saw. They were not less than about ten inches in circumference. 

 There were two of each. One of A. dianthus was milk-white, and the other 

 dusky. One of A. crassieornis was variegated with red, the other was 

 white, with orange-coloured tentacula. I kept them for some days, and a 

 prettier sight could not be wished for. Can the creatures have any pre- 

 dilection for attaching themselves to coal? or does it favour their growth? 

 From the number on the small piece, and from their very large size, I 

 concluded so.^'' 



I shall conclude my lucubrations at this time by a few words on a paper, 

 styled "Inquiry for the Naturalist." I have observed again and again the 

 same inclination of trees, but not towards the east. In this district, which 

 is in many parts very much exposed to the sea-breeze, the trees all lean 

 towards the south, just because the cold, biting wind comes from the north. 

 This is the reason why the trees spoken of by your correspondent lean 

 towards the east. The hard, killing winds blow off the sea, and nip the 

 tender branches. In proof of this assertion, I shall' state what I have 

 observed here. When there are high walls, the trees grow like other 

 decent trees, till they overtop the wall, and then they begin to lean away 

 from the sea-wind. The same thing takes place when they are planted in 

 sheltered hollows. All goes well till they lift their head out of the "trenches," 

 and then whizz goes the sea-breeze into their bonnets, and turns them to 

 the side. When they are planted in clumps, the outside trees are short 

 and stunted, those within are somewhat taller, and so on, always growing 



• I cannot think this, as coal cannot well be looked for under the sea. — F. 0. Morris. 



