MARCH, 1883. 285 



for a day or two, so we took them off in hopes of being 

 able to hatch out the slippery fellows. We have always 

 noticed that these fishes are most careful of their spawn, 

 and although they do not show the constructive skill and 

 maternal instincts of the Rocklings and Sticklebacks, 

 they are yet not without great care for the welfare of 

 their ova, which are frequently deposited in knowing 

 corners, in which the mother remains to watch over them 

 for a time. 



The tides were so low and good for a foreshore observer, 

 that we determined to see what could be obtained on the 

 outer islands of Loch Linnhe, and set out at near the 

 half tide so as to get through the narrow passage on the 

 south side of Eriska Island, before the ebbing waters 

 should leave the whole passage dry. " If you can get 

 the boat through inside of Sgeir-na-Caillach, it will get 

 down the Doirlinn," says one authority, but we shake 

 our heads dubiously as we look at the racing waters and 

 the narrowing passage. We are sadly tempted to move 

 aside to various objects of interest, but it is now clear 

 that the water will be low enough ere we get through, 

 and we hurry down the shallowing stream of water with 

 an uncomfortable feeling. A warning bump, a long 

 grating sound upon the banking sea-bottom, and we 

 glance at one another and the mile of intervening shoal 

 with an uneasy feeling creeping up our backs. But 

 every moment increases the difficulty, for no ordinary 

 tide is upon us to-day, and we will be left high and dry 

 in a quarter of an hour. There is no help for it ; the 

 wind is bitterly cold, the water equally so under a north- 

 east wind on the shallows ; and the first out of the boat 

 up to the knees is the first to jump in again with a pecu- 

 liarly unheroic dexterity. Feet that can scarcely crawl 



