236 LOCH CRERAN. 



forth, and has apparently also degenerated terribly 

 through a life of luxurious ease. 



Why does that interesting shell, covered with wrinkled 

 protuberances (Murex erinaausj, only appear in dead 

 specimens? One of these we have obtained in Loch 

 Linnhe, and Northern specimens are said to be invariably 

 dead. We may conclude that they are alive somewhere 

 about, and are only difficult to obtain from their rocky 

 habitats, like some other mollusca; we subsequently 

 obtained various live specimens under stones at low 

 water. 



In front of the newly-extended pier at Port Appin 

 the black ware has already grown several feet long, 

 although but a few months have the piles been down. 



We were rowing down towards Eriska when we 

 observed two very large herons coming hurriedly along, 

 evidently on very bad terms with each other. In a 

 minute or two they became engaged in a fratricidal 

 struggle, and, interlocking, came down all of a heap with 

 a splash into the water, as no doubt " the nations' airy 

 navies" of the future will do, when they presume to 

 grapple " in the central blue." "I saw two herons off 

 Eriska diving for fish into the sea the other day," remarks 

 our observant companion, and we all agree that the 

 circumstance was most remarkable ; for these waders are 

 seldom seen to emulate the divers or swimmers, although 

 they can swim well when they fall wounded into the 

 water. 



Having landed at low water on a small islet to hunt 

 the finely grown and coloured specimens of Zisiphiuus 

 shell, and the many specimens of the striped variety 

 of Littorina, we have again returned to the boat, and, 

 while sitting waiting for our companions to enter, glance 



