GYMNETRUS ARCTICUS FROM THURSO. 197 



to you, but you can form uo idea of the brilliancy of its 

 appearance when it first came ashore. It was all over 

 exactly like the reverse side of a looking-glass, and for a 

 quarter of a mile off could be seen shining on the sands 

 like a mirror. The men's fingers, in handling it, were 

 covered over with what was exactly like prepared silver 

 paint, manufactured like Bessemer's gold paint, which 

 artists' colourmen sell. I think I see signs of ten- 

 tacles below the head, as well as above, and there 

 is a fracture at the end of the tail, which almost 

 looks as if that portion of the tail, which was furnished 

 with spines, as in the drawing, had been broken off, or 

 eaten off, before the fish came to land, and may, in fact, 

 account for its being cast ashore, as it would be like a 

 boat without its rudder or powers of sailing from the 

 stern. My house is distant about five miles due east of 

 Thurso, and is on the shore of the Bay of Dunnet, 

 which you will see marked in Black's maps. It is a 

 beautiful bay, with a fine sandy bottom, about three 

 miles across, with bold, rocky coast on the other side, 

 but a smooth, sandy shore shelving out to sea very 

 gradually, until you get to the opposite headland. I 

 have no doubt, if I had the proper appliances, many 

 rare and beautiful fish could be taken in this bay. 

 These must be frequently carried across the Atlantic, 

 and take refuge here from the racing tide of the Pent- 

 land Firth." 



On removing the lid of the box, there appeared a 

 most magnificent specimen of Gymnetrus arcticiis, other- 

 wise Ileijalacus hanksii. It had been packed in ice, and 

 was in good condition. ** When spread out it measures 

 12ft. 4in., and is much in the shape of an enormous 

 sword tapering off at the tail. The head is unfortu- 

 nately considerably smashed, but still the outlines are 



