i6z LOCH CRERAN. 



like the common limpet, and although the curtain can 

 cling strongly to the article on which it may be at the 

 time, the presence of the hole in the apex and distance 

 of the verge of the shell from the edge of the foot prevents 

 its house being its castle. This is the first we have taken 

 in our own loch. 



" One more draw of the dredge on the scallop ground," 

 asks a companion; and over it goes, while we glance 

 roughly at the spider crabs, starfish, and other ordinary 

 products of [a haul, with here and there a little cypraea, 

 always so interesting, or a milligrana (Trochus) ; and 

 there, sliddering in among the larger specimens, is a small 

 Ophiocoma ncglecta> a specimen of which diminutive brittle 

 starfish we have not yet been successful in preserving. 

 But the iron is again upon the stern of the boat, and as 

 the contents are turned into the tub we hurry shoreward; 

 for little do we expect, beyond these lively scallops from 

 the grounds frequented by them, some six or eight fathoms 

 deep. Ere we cease rowing, however, it is plain that 

 another of these large scallops, Pecten maxtmus, is among 

 the crowd of shells of P. opercularis, similarly adorned to 

 the last we took on the same ground. So there are a few 

 about alive, but what a crowd of freshly-opened shells of 

 the smaller pecten ! When they are dredged in quantity 

 we generally find little else, but here are regular piles of 

 starfish, and they have evidently been at work, and busy 

 too, among these delicious bivalves. For although a P. 

 maxtmus can close his shell tight, there are always two 

 unarmed holes at each side of the hinge of P. opercularis 

 into which a strong limb of the wriggling wretches can 

 be readily inserted. 



But we turned our eyes from the tub too soon. What 

 is that brilliant gleam of crimson fringe ? A rude glance 



