216 AN EAST COAST NATURALIST 



business envelope, in the centre of its upper side, 

 and at right angles to it. It was perfectly rayed, 

 but had a tendency to fall to one side, and thus 

 conveniently to get out of the way of obstacles 

 during the progress of its wearer. 



A stunted Herring was brought to the Fishwharf 

 in February 1899. Its length was 6f inches and 

 the depth % inches. For this depth it should at 

 least have been 10 inches long, the normal length 

 of a 'longshore Herring. It was plump, and con- 

 tained a well-developed roe. 



MULLEH'S TOP-KNOT 



The average shrimper will not trouble himself 

 much with regard to what he designates "curios." 

 Every shrimper has some yarn or other to tell 

 about taking a fish he "never saw the likes of 

 afore," but with this, and a vague, useless, and 

 mostly misleading description, the matter usually 

 ends, unless he reproachfully adds that "I laid it 

 aside for you, but you didn't come, so I hulled it 

 overboard." And it is almost useless to try and 

 persuade a shrimper to preserve for inspection any 

 curious species unless he thinks he can get a price 



