324 I N A G U A 



attitudes. Heads up, then down, vertically or horizontally, 

 they slithered in and out between the algae like restless insects. 

 In a moment they gave a most remarkable performance. They 

 had climbed down— they seemed to walk rather than swim, 

 so closely did they stick to the moss— to the sand at the base 

 of a boulder. Here they faced each other with only an inch 

 or two of space between. For a second they remained motion- 

 less, then began a strange little hopping dance, using their 

 pectorals as stilts. Round and round they went in a circle with 

 their mouths as the axis. Occasionally they halted as though 

 attempting to stare each other down. 



Their mouths, which up to this point had been tightly closed 

 began chattering as if in conversation. Once again the hopping 

 and skipping began and continued for some time. When they 

 again stopped, instead of chattering, they protruded their 

 mouths until they touched. It was a perfect kiss! No such ama- 

 tory caress was intended, however, for, shortly after, the blen- 

 nies touched lips once more, established a firm contact and 

 began shoving. The kiss was really a trial of strength, and 

 apparently was their method of establishing ownership over a 

 certain territory, for after quite a bit of pushing one of the 

 blennies suddenly turned and fled, leaving the victor trium- 

 phantly poised over its tiny kingdom of a square yard of sand 

 and an equal amount of coral encrusted rock. This seemed a 

 very safe and sane way of settling the question of ownership 

 without resort to bloodshed. 



The instinct of curiosity, I am certain, is very highly de- 

 veloped in certain fishes. Sharks possess it in a great degree and 

 so do the gurnards and sea-robins. This victorious blennie was 

 the most inquisitive fish I have ever encountered. When I sat 

 down in the sand close to its domain it come over and very 

 carefully inspected each of my fingers outspread in the loose 

 soil, tiptoeing delicately from one finger nail to the other. It 



