222 AN EAST COAST NATURALIST 



entered fish, animal, or what? At length he 

 described it as "glass with care"; and under 

 that heading it went. This fish was the first of 

 the species recorded for Yarmouth. 



April 11. Almost as rare here was a pretty 

 little example of the Lesser Forkbeard (Raniceps 

 trifurcus) brought me. Length, 2f inches. 



April 13. Stepping on board a shrimp boat to 

 see a " curio " preserved for me, I was delighted to 

 find it a Two-spotted Goby (Gobhis ruihensparri\ 

 new to my list, and probably the second of its 

 species for the county. Curiously enough, two 

 others were brought me before the 18th. 



Some years ago there lived in the town a coal- 

 hawker, who was considered to be a little bit odd 

 in fact, had, as they termed it, a screw loose some- 

 where. He did not always act wisely, as was shown 

 one day when, in a ramble along the beach, he saw a 

 large Conger lying on a sandbank, apparently dead. 

 I am not so sure as to the time of the year, but it is 

 not rare in very severe weather for Congers to wash 

 ashore dead or helpless, their bladders having been 

 so distended by the action of the frost that it is 

 impossible for them to control its functions, when, 

 tossed about by the keen easterly winds and boister- 

 ous waves, they at length are cast upon the sands. 

 Our friend, espying the fish, between which and 



