238 Alexander Goodman More. [i870 



taming sea-worms of various kinds,* and labelled "Galway, 

 1871," is perhaps the best memorial of his second visit to 

 Roundstone. 



There is, however, a stray note among his papers, 

 evidently of this date, which shows that other organisms 

 besides marine Annelida occasionally claimed part of his 

 attention. It is headed 



Musha-Musha / 



In the West of Ireland it is not uncommon to hear the expression 

 " Moosha-Moosha," and if the inquiring traveller asks the meaning of 

 these words it is very difficult to obtain any explanation. It seems as 

 if it were a kind of fetish, or secret, and the local equivalent of the 

 Arabic " Allah-il-Allah," the French saying " Soyez tranquille," or 

 the Lotus-Eater's " Let us alone." 



Let us alone ! Just think how commonly such a phrase is heard in 

 school and in street. Let us alone ! Let us sleep ! Let us rest ! Let 

 us die ! In Connemara this principle of Moosha-Moosha is carried out 

 in its fullest extent in many various fashions. 



In the morning the carman (sleeping sweetly after his over-night 

 whiskey, or without it) when called by his wife says " Moosha-Moosha," 

 and lies on snugly dozing for another hour or two ; while his neighbours, 

 not getting up most likely, are doing exactly the same thing as himself, 

 and are carrying out, consciously or not, the acknowledged and received 

 practice of Moosha-Moosha. 



Another version of the same words is, "Well-well." "Well" is 

 the sentinel's cry, watching over some post of danger. Is it so in 

 Connemara ? Shall I tell you of the beggars I met, who said always 

 " Moosha-Moosha " ? Of the people who saw me walking (and I hope 

 not disturbing them) at VII. A.M. on the streets of Roundstone, always 

 saying " Moosha-Moosha " ? I have not yet reached the extreme pro- 

 fundities of this mysterious word. 



But the lazy loiterer after cattle, the unemployed, the people who 

 neither wish to nor try to be anything else, or care about Workers' 

 industries these are the people who say all day long, Moosha-Moosha, 

 Allah-il-Allah. 



Terebellides straemii. Sthenelais boa. 



Leontes dumerillii. Phyllodoce groenlandica. 



Lycidice ninetta. Harmothoe imbricata. 



Onuphis sicula. Lepidonotus squamatus. 



Glycera capitata. Carinella annulata. 



