266 . 



feet in circumference. The labour and expense 

 of this structure must have been considerable, 

 but to two, though very different classes of per- 

 sons, it affords a very rich treat. Here the gour- 

 mand, in the stormiest weather, when no boat 

 dares venture out to sea, finds his appetite sup- 

 plied ; and here, too, the naturalist finds food for 

 his no less insatiate desires, by the opportunities 

 it affords for observing and studying the habits 

 and peculiarities of the briny deep. The pond 

 is excavated eight feet below the level of the sea, 

 and hence there is, when the tide is out, this 

 depth of water in it. During the year 1827, 

 however, the tides were much lower than they 

 had been seen for the previous fifty years, and 

 abandoned the rock which they were never 

 known to have deserted before; the water be- 

 came stagnant, and the fishes sunk to the bot- 

 tom, they refused their food, and died in such 

 numbers before relief arrived in the form of a 

 full spring tide, that the pond was nearly depo- 

 pulated. It is curious to witness the uproar that 

 takes place in the pond the moment the fisher- 

 man makes his appearance with his daily store 

 of limpits and other food for his finny charge. 

 The whole surface seems agitated by some vast 

 internal commotion, as hundreds of fishes rush 

 from all corners to one common point, and 

 greedily contend with each other for the delici- 

 ous mouthful. It is remarkable that they will 

 take nothing but what comes from the sea ; if 

 crumbs of bread be thrown to them, though in- 



