ON THE REEF 109 



moved about in the rock basins, too, and with their fern-like 

 fins and their skins of grey and brown and green it was hard 

 to pick them out from the seaweed. Down at the sea's edge 

 grew the cunjeboy, brown and red, upon the rocks. Everyone 

 knows what a fascinating squirt it has when it is touched, but 

 few realize it is a living creature. From a crevice in the rocks 

 a green eel poked his little sharp head out from the weeds ; 

 he also is an easy prey to the small boy, who, when he goes a- 

 hunting, pokes a stick into the water, at which the eel snaps 

 angrily and so is caught. 



Then there were many, many shells, periwinkles, whelks, 

 tritons, Venus ears, all alive, and moving here and there 

 There were hermit crabs and sea-urchins, worms and other 

 strange sea-creatures that have none but long scientific names. 



But its shells and fishes were not the Reefs only charms 

 this day. Strutting about on the outer edge were two black 

 birds with deep orange bills and legs. They were sooty 

 oyster-catchers in search of their lunch. They poked about 

 amongst the oyster beds, and whenever they caught an oyster 

 napping the strong flat bill was quickly prized between the 

 shells, and the occupant was taken out. This bill, flat like a 

 pair of scissors, is particularly suited for the work, and the 

 oyster has no chance once it is inside the shell. 



Through the green clear waves just off the Reef came dart- 

 ing shorewards a shoal of big fish kingfish we thought. Just 

 one glimpse of them we caught as they flashed forward, then 



