82 NOTES ON THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BELL ROCK. 



equipped as the exaggerated specimens frequently seen 

 stranded on our beaches. Lurking amongst the vegetation in 

 the pools are numerous tiny spider-crabs, roaming about in 

 search of food. Only by their movements can they be located, 

 as each bears about with it quite a luxuriant growth of 

 vegetation, with which I understand all crustaceans would 

 become invested did they not ludicrous as it may seem 

 regularly attend to their toilet. The "spider," however, 

 unable to procure a living by force of arms like his bigger 

 brother, has recourse to the subterfuge of posing as an 

 innocent patch of marine vegetation, and by such concealment 

 is enabled to capture food which would be otherwise unattain- 

 able. The females at present are seen to be carrying spawn. 

 When changing their position in the pool it is somewhat 

 surprising to see a portion of the plants, which one has been 

 admiring, suddenly become endowed with the powers of 

 locomotion, detach itself from the mass, and, ambling leisurely 

 round the pool, come to rest on the fringe of some other patch 

 with which it completely harmonises. 



During the whole of June, at daybreak and again in the 

 evening, the sea around us appeared literally alive with large- 

 sized poddlies. Their continual flip-flop on the surface in 

 pursuit of " fry " could be distinctly heard from the balcony. 

 Though frequently within reach of our attempts from the 

 doorway, they failed to appreciate our invitation to any 

 extent, and only with much perseverance did we occasionally 

 manage to breakfast at their expense. A few cod have been 

 taken from the pools at low water. The deepest of these 

 pools is about a couple of fathoms at low water, and has the 

 reputation of being a sort of convalescent home, as fish are 

 occasionally taken there which are in anything but the pink 

 of condition. Fishing there lately, I hooked a cod two feet 

 long, and was somewhat surprised to see the feeble resistance 

 it made. On landing it, however, it was seen to be a most 

 phthisical-looking specimen and in the last stages of emacia- 

 tion, the bones almost protruding through the skin. Need- 

 less to state, his life was spared, and the patient returned 

 to his element. I have frequently seen emaciated specimens 



