288 AN EAST COAST NATURALIST 



found a large plaice-head washed up by the sea. A 

 considerable company of small black flies (Actor a 

 ostiwri) and another of Sandhoppers had taken 

 possession, and were immensely busy, above and 

 below. On kicking the head, the host of participants 

 in the feast decamped, some of the Sandhoppers 

 tumbling out of the orifices in it below, and a few 

 of the flies in amazement creeping from the mouth 

 and gill-cover above. There is little doubt in my 

 mind that the flies discover their food by their sense 

 of smell, whilst the others use both eyes and organs 

 corresponding with the sense of smell. 



Having cleared the " table " of occupants, I picked 

 up the fish's head and threw it a few yards farther 

 along upon the same line of flotsam. The wind 

 was blowing from the land, and the insect hunters 

 were mostly engaged in their business between the 

 tide-mark and the sea, and so were to leeward of 

 their breakfast. In less than three minutes for I 

 timed them as many as 97 insects had again 

 boarded it, having worked by twos and threes and 

 fours upwards, their progression being in leaps and 

 runs not an insect flew. Now they would stop a 

 moment, like hounds making sure of the scent ; now 

 they jumped a few inches, and then they ran a like 



