1 6 Cruise of the "'Alert!''' 



bunkers, and it is to this coal trade that the island owes its 

 importance. 



After a cursory inspection of the Httle town, which presented 



a very neat and orderly appearance, we strolled out into the 



country, following the direction of the western shore of the bay. 



The country exhibited a tolerably green appearance, and we 



were informed that vegetation had been exceptionally good 



during the previous two years, owing to the rainfall having been 



much above the average. Of trees of course there were none to 



be seen, and of shrubs only a few stunted representatives, scattered 



singly or in patches. A species of rank grass, however, flourished, 



and here and there a rather stately fungus raised its head as if in 



defiance of its otherwise sterile surroundings, the blown sand of 



the foreshore supplying sufficient nutriment for its humble wants. 



Of dead shells a great variety were picked up on the beach 



between tide marks, including representatives of the genera Area, 



Patella, Car-diuvi, Harpa, Littorma^ and Strombiis ; a very perfect 



Spirilla shell was also noticed. The blown-sand ridges above 



high-water mark were everywhere perforated by the burrows of 



a very active grey-coloured crab {Reviites scutcllatiis), whose feet 



terminated in sharp incurved claws admirably adapted for the 



creature's mining operations. Its burrows extended obliquely 



downwards, and to a depth of two feet from the surface of the 



blown-sand ridges. A couple of grasshoppers were the only 



other additions made on this occasion to our zoological collection. 



The afternoon of the next day (24th October) I was enabled 



to devote to dredging operations, working over the bay at depths 



varying from two to twelve fathoms. From these I obtained 



some large and active specimens of a large wing-shell, the Stroinbus 



pHgilis, whose gymnastic performances, when subsequently placed 



in a vessel of sea water, excited general interest. Armed with 



his long powerful foot, he struck out boldly in all directions, the 



operculated extremity acting like a sword blade, and alarming 



me for the safety of the seaweeds and other more delicate 



