THE SCHOOL OF THE SHORF 9 



slowly, snout to snout, open their mouths to the 

 limit of their gape, and gaze, as it seems, for 

 several seconds, as if in rapt attention, each at 

 the patch of bright red on the other's mouth." 



A near view shows that there is haunt 

 within haunt. There are sandy corners and 

 seaweedy corners, sheltered coral basins and 

 open reefs, shady places and illumined places, 

 and all the different levels from the floor to 

 the surface. Of course there are bold wan- 

 derers that go everywhere, but on the whole 

 each creature has its favourite and habitual 

 corner, to which it is particularly well suited, 

 especially as regards its colour and patterns. 

 And different creatures tenant the same place 

 at different times: thus, when evening ap- 

 proaches, the day-feeding fishes disappear, 

 and out of the recesses of the reef come night- 

 feeding fishes, first in twos and threes, and 

 then in schools. There are many " Box and 

 Cox" arrangements in Nature. 



The big result of close observation of the 

 shore-haunt is to show that it includes a great 

 variety of surroundings, and that many a crea- 

 ture has a particular niche where it is most at 

 home. 



