THE NIGHTCAP. 83 



no small resemblance to a curlew's bill, giving it a wicked, vicious 

 look, that its structure otherwise, however, belies ; for it is alto- 

 gether incapable of hurting anything bigger than the very small fry 

 and marine insects on which it feeds. The prejudice against the 

 gar-fish is no doubt to be accounted for in part by the curious fact 

 that its bones are of a dirty green colour, strange and perhaps dis- 

 agreeable to an eye accustomed to the ivory-like whiteness of the 

 osseous structure of most other fishes that are brought to table. 

 We have seen specimens of the gar-fish captured by the St. 

 Andrews fishermen that exceeded three feet in length : the fish 

 more immediately referred to only measured nineteen inches. Our 

 friend has since written us a note to say that on being shown to a 

 gentleman, "professing to know something of ichthyology," he 

 declared it to be a specimen of the pipe-fish, which is just about as 

 correct as if a man said that a pelican was a parrot, or a pig was 

 a giraffe. 



In one particular, at least, we resemble Dr. Samuel Johnson. 

 We have never during our whole lifetime once worn a nightcap. 

 " I had the custom by chance," replied the " Rambler," with a 

 growl at Boswell's inquisitiveness on the subject, " and perhaps no 

 man, sir, shall ever know whether it is best to sleep with or with- 

 out a nightcap." But if we don't wear a nightcap, some of our 

 neighbours do, and to one of these useful articles of nocturnal 

 toilette befell the following adventure a short time ago. One of 

 our neighbours, a fine old Highlander, still straight as a pine tree, 

 and strong and stalwart withal, though already past the grand 

 climacteric, having had occasion to be in the south in the early 

 summer, bought himself a speck and span new nightcap, which, 

 neatly folded up along with some braws for the gudewife, formed 

 a parcel of which, you may be sure, he was exceedingly careful on 

 the return journey, constantly " keeping his eye on it " all the way 

 from the Broomielaw to Ballachulish Pier, and watching over its 



