NOVEMBER, 1882. 241 



and mud, in the latter of which they lie with open mouth 

 upwards. Although active enough when stirred, they 

 seemed very lethargic, and required to be roused with 

 the long pole ere they commenced their droll peregrina- 

 tions ; while many allowed themselves to be dragged into 

 the boat with the long graip without an effort at escape. 

 This will account for their becoming a prey to star-fish, 

 which otherwise could scarcely pretend to follow them 

 through the water. We have so frequently examined 

 them in buckets of water, and seen their mode of 

 progression, that we never had a doubt but what we 

 knew all about it. They have so frequently squirted the 

 water in our faces from the bucket, that they might 

 thereby shunt themselves backward, that we had 

 concluded this was their customary mode of motion, and, 

 like the historic crab, they " advanced backwards." Yet 

 here in their native element, with plenty of searoom, at a 

 depth of 2^ fathoms, their proceedings were quite the 

 reverse. In fact, they shot themselves forward, evidently 

 by gulping the water and expelling it through the two 

 orifices, one at each side of the hinge ! This was quite 

 a new revelation to us, and accounted to an extent for 

 the presence of these openings, which were otherwise 

 inexplicable. 



NOVEMBER, 1882. 



What peculiar fancy could have taken possession of 

 those birds, we wonder, as we pass down the avenue 

 under the finely-grown trees with any number of good 

 roosting places around. Trees to right of them, trees to 

 left of them, palings and outhouses behind them, and 

 yet there are two good fat turkeys, actually squatting for 

 Q 



