268 NATURAL HISTORY OF OUR SHORES 



made up (my experience is Channel Islands especially) of 

 a score or more, with a qualified guide, for some of the 

 outlying reaches are dangerous, owing to being on high 

 ground, beyond the rocky reefs, where it is a very easy 

 matter to be surrounded unawares. 



These parties are armed with sickle-shaped hooks, with 

 which the loose sand is scraped, causing the sand-eels to 

 emerge, which they do with great energy, and spring about 

 in a lively manner. 



Expert hands catch them readily, but not so the novice, 

 and it is very often that the latter returns with empty 

 basket although his friends have heavy catches. 



Moonlight nights are usually chosen for this fishing, 

 but on the new moon tides lanterns are employed. 



A description of this " Sand-eeling " does not seem to 

 commend it very strongly, but the sport has many votaries, 

 and its votaries comprise all who have once indulged 

 in it. 



The larger sand-eel is highly prized for table, the lesser 

 one is largely used as bait by the fishermen. 



A third species, the "Blunt-nosed Sand-eel," is mentioned, 

 but I have not seen one, and consider its existence pro- 

 blematical. 



On the same gravel reaches, tolerably common much too 

 common to please sand-eelers is the " Sordid Dragonet " 

 or " Dusky Sculpin " (Callionymus sordida). It is a large- 

 headed fish, of flattened form that is, flat from back to 

 under side about six inches in length. In colour and 

 marking it closely imitates the shell sand on which it lives, 

 a fine example of protective coloration. 



At the corners of its gills it has a three- pointed spine 

 which can inflict a nasty wound, inflammation always 

 following. 



Frequently it is seized in mistake for a sand-eel, with 

 disagreeable consequences. 



