iSSy-SS.] Some Peculiar Occurrences in Natural History. 157 



quite content that it should be so, with the tail-half of the fish 

 hanging gracefully out of its mouth. It is right to add, how- 

 ever, in the interests of the tern, that he had apparently not 

 overrated his own powers, as in a few minutes, by a process 

 known only to himself, he gradually prevailed upon the tail- 

 half of the " queedie " to follow the head. Swallows and bats 

 have been known repeatedly to take fly-hooks, and ducks 

 occasionally take the worms on a night-line, to the horror of 

 many an ardent young disciple of old Izaak, who, braving the 

 discomforts of a raw spring morning, finds, on reaching the 

 place where he set his line, that he has unwittingly been the 

 destroyer of the pride of the neighbouring farmyard. Numer- 

 ous sea-birds are often taken on the fishermen's lines, but it 

 is quite a unique occurrence to capture a bird with a fishing- 

 rod in the manner above described. 



Some time ago we were walking along the beach between 

 Granton Quarry and Cramond, when we noticed a group of 

 rough-looking fellows, who were evidently enjoying what 

 seemed to be sport of some kind. We thought the attraction 

 must be a dog-fi-ght, as the " yelping " of a dog was distinctly 

 heard, but on coming up to the group we discovered that the 

 combatants were — the one a rather large-sized Bedlington 

 terrier, and the other a common crab. It was some little 

 time ere we could realise that a fight was really in progress, 

 as the odds at first sight appeared to be all on the side of 

 the dog. But this was not so, for the crab, with pincers 

 raised, and face to the foe, was manifestly all excitement, and 

 warily watched every movement of the dog. The terrier 

 had evidently in previous rounds felt the strength of the 

 crab's pinch, and seemed rather inclined to shirk any further 

 encounter, but his owner, with derisive laughter, hounded 

 him on. After one or two feints he at last made straight for 

 the crab, but we were glad to learn, by the yell which 

 followed, that the Bedlington had caught a Tartar, and it 

 was soon seen that the crab had got a firm hold of the dog 

 by the nose, so that the latter had a good deal of difficulty 

 in shaking himself free. The terrier evidently realised at 

 last that in a fair stand-up fight he had met his match, and 

 consequently he resorted to what may be termed the rough- 

 and-tumble style. His mode of attack was from this time 



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