72 NOTES ON THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BELL ROCK. 



visit in their boat, recalling to our mind a story in which a 

 clumsily handled brig, in coming to an anchorage in a crowded 

 harbour, ran aboard of a vessel already anchored. Visiting 

 this vessel a few days later, to apologise for the occurrence, the 



offender was thus announced by the steward : " Captain S 



has come on board, Sir." " Oh, indeed," sarcastically remarked 

 the aggrieved mariner. " Has he brought his brig with him ? " 



The rocks are this year more plentifully strewn with 

 mussel-spawn and acorn barnacles than usual j and already 

 the whelks have sallied from their winter's sleep, bent on 

 their destruction. Hundreds of hermit crabs have also made 

 their appearance, notably first in the deeper pools, but gradu- 

 ally taking up their quarters in the shallows. Towards the 

 end of the month, a few small spats of paidlefish spawn were 

 seen deposited in convenient crevices of the rocks. This is 

 unusually early for "nesting" operations, and engenders 

 hopes of an early fishing, as the ova is generally the first 

 inducement for the wandering cod to come within reach of 

 our rods. Numerous clusters of the wheat-like ova of the 

 white whelk are also seen ; but, unlike that of the paidlefish 

 (lumpsucker) which may be detached from its gelatinous 

 fastenings in a solid mass each egg adheres separately by its 

 own footstalk. Though the adult " paidles " are only to be 

 seen here during the period of incubation the term seems 

 quite applicable, seeing that the guardian " cock " is always 

 in close attendance, with his nose thrust into the centre of the 

 mass of ova, at which point there is always a depression, and 

 frequently a hole right through it juveniles are occasionally 

 met with at all seasons \ and, on the first anniversary of their 

 birthday, are seen to have attained the length of two inches. 



Numbers of peculiar looking slugs are met with at present, 

 somewhat resembling a section of a small orange with the skin 

 attached. On their upper surface, near to one end, a minute 

 orifice is seen, through which a small rosette like arrangement 

 is protruded when at rest, but which is instantly withdrawn 

 when the animal is disturbed. This is the only visible sign of 

 life in this otherwise inert object, and is probably its means of 

 obtaining a living. Its under or ambulatory surface is similar 



