498 THE NORTHERN FORESTS. [Part IX. 



and reduced to an almost impalpable dust by the con- 

 tinued action of the surf. 



Here the shore abounded -with shells, amongst others 

 Avith a species of Bullia \ the inhabitant of which has 

 the faculty of mooring itself firmly by sending down 

 its membraneous foot into the w^et sand, where, im- 

 bibing the water, this organ expands horizontally into 

 a broad fleshy disc, by Avhich the animal anchors itself, 

 and thus secured, collects its food in the ripple of the 

 waves. On the slightest alarm, the water is discharged, 

 the disc collapses into its original dimensions, and the 

 shell and its inhabitant disappear together beneath the 

 sand. 



On the rocks Avhich are washed by the siu'f there are 

 quantities of the curious little fish, Salarias alticus ^, 

 which* possesses the faculty of darting along the surface 

 of the water, and running up the wet stones, with the 

 utmost ease and rapidity. By aid of its pectoral and 

 ventral fins and gill-cases, it moves across the damp 

 sand, ascends the roots of the mangroves, and chmbs 

 up the smooth face of the rocks in search of flies ; ad- 

 hering so securely as not to be detached by repeated 

 assaults of the waves. These httle creatures are so 

 nimble, that it is almost impossible to lay hold of them, 

 as they scramble to the edge, and plunge into the sea 

 on the sHghtest attempt to molest them. They are 

 from three to four inches in length, and of a dark 

 brown colour, almost indistinguishable from the rocks 

 they fi^equent. 



In the immediate vicinity of the sea, om^ ride was 

 always sufficiently cool, owing to .the prevalence of the 

 north-east monsoon ; but inland, the heat was intole- 

 rable while passing over the wliite sandy plains which 

 abound in this district, and are but scantily covered 

 with verdure. To avoid this, we travelled as much as 



' Ji. rittdfa. I Hist. Nat. des Poissons, torn. xi. p. 



- CUVIKU and ^'ALENCIENNES, | 249. 



