72 LOCH C RE RAN. 



are told this is only " instinct, " and that a horse cannot 

 reason ! 



At low tide this week we ransacked a pool in the rock to 

 see if any small fishes had taken refuge therein. A pure 

 white doris, or nudibranch mollusc, was sheltering under 

 the seaware, and as we proceeded in our search we 

 brought to light five different species of fishes in that one 

 small rocky pool. Several beautiful gobies two-spotted 

 bore the palm for beauty and interest, while a young 

 pipe-fish (syngnathus), several butter-fish (Gunnellus), a 

 fifteen-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus), and a small fresh- 

 water eel, kept up the interest of the natural aquarium. On 

 our way home we could have added a good sized sea eel, 

 several flat fish, another species of goby, and a shoal 

 of two-spined sticklebacks to the collection of the morn- 

 ing, over a stretch of a few hundred yards. 



During the day the wind gradually recommenced from 

 the south, wore round to the north-west by the evening, 

 and blew a vicious gale from the north-east all night, so 

 that this morning (Friday) there is plenty of jetsom on 

 the shore, as what rational marine construction could 

 stand such a long strain hammering at them from all sides 

 of the compass. Our sailing boat has " gone into winter 

 quarters " early, and against our will, while the gale still 

 continues without any sign of weakness or hesitation. 

 A "depression" has crossed not only the Atlantic, but 

 the minds of those who "do business on the great 

 waters." 



It is now nearly a fortnight since the stormy weather 

 commenced, and we have only had one day's calm 

 since. Wednesday was as severe with us as almost any 

 day since the commencement, and last night was quite 

 on a par with the disastrous night of Thursday last week. 



