LOCH CRERAN. 



the night on the wire fencing. As we approach in the 

 dusk we think to set them swaying, like a clumsy boy 

 walking on a paling, but they sit with perfect steadiness 

 and composure, only flying off a little way after we have 

 repeatedly tried to startle them. We cannot account for 

 such a position being chosen, as these birds require 

 plenty of footing, and even hens do not like small foot 

 spars, which cause their feet to become contorted. 



Wading at lowest tide among beds of Zostera marina^ 

 amid bouldery and ware-grown surroundings, we had 

 a particularly good opportunity for observing a class 

 of life we have not hitherto noted much "at home." As 

 we advanced, a little fish apparently would skim or skip 

 along the surface of the water with great dexterity, and 

 we had some difficulty in procuring a specimen. It then 

 proved to be a species of palsemon, a crustacean with a 

 prawn-like bend in its back, and these were plentiful and 

 most active. While amusing ourselves stirring them up 

 and watching their active movements, we suddenly came 

 upon a gleam of purple and silver, and looking up at us 

 through the water were a pair of brilliant eyes at the end 

 of footstalks, which appertained to an ysop prawn, that 

 large, brilliantly-marked species, with long barred 

 antennae, whose humped back and intelligent appearance 

 have procured for them the name of the old fabulist. 

 They not unfrequently come up in the dredge, but here 

 were a few " at home," and the rapidity and dexterity 

 with which they escaped through the Zostera fronds was 

 most amusing. It was quite clear that these same sea- 

 wrack beds were favourite haunts of Crustacea, so, going 

 seaward with a large hand-net, we swept it rapidly 

 towards the shore through the grass. A few palaemons 

 and many mysis, and nothing more. Nothing more ! 



