JANUARY, 1883. 263 



very small size, along with the gradations of sizes 

 dredged by us at present, point to a very elastic breeding 

 season, which may extend for many months. The 

 Crustacea of the shrimp class (Palcemou, &c.), whether 

 rich green or deep crimson, are full of spawn as 

 they arrive on board, and seem also to exhibit far 

 greater vitality under the circumstances than they do 

 usually. Is this a powerful instinct to preserve and 

 continue the species ? If so, it is quite at variance with 

 some other species whose muscles relax, and whole 

 physical system shows marked incapacity for the usual 

 struggle for existence, when in spawn ! 



We have had the usual three-days gale, this time, for 

 the first time this season, commencing from the nor'-east 

 and working very slowly round to the south, whence it 

 now blows stiffly, throwing a fresh coating of snow on the 

 higher hills and scuds of rain on the low lands. But it 

 has been a remarkable dry gale, cold and cutting until 

 to-day, and only adds fresh inducement to the vegetation 

 to continue its vagaries. Three times within the last few 

 months have the mild spells induced the firs alongside to 

 throw out fresh sprouts, only to be nipped ere they had 

 got further than an inch on their journey; while the 

 primroses are struggling to emerge from budhood, and 

 the bunches of rosebuds along our cottage front are in a 

 most uncertain and unsatisfactory frame of mind, as if a 

 " worm i' the bud " were preying on their scorbutic- 

 looking cheeks. 



In spite of the excessive severity of the weather last 

 evening, when the gale was at its worst and the ferries on 

 one side were almost, and on the other altogether, 

 impassable, a goodly gathering from all the clachans 

 around met to spend an evening together. Quite a 



