320 The Naturalist of C umbrae. 



animals were obtained. In the course of inquiries he 

 learned that they were abundant at Melburt Bay, not 

 far from the town. This bay they took an early 

 opportunity of visiting. 



The day was blusterous, and the tide not far enough 

 out to permit of their finding the living mollusca, but, 

 as the shore was thickly strewn with the shells, they 

 gathered as many specimens with the valves together 

 as they cared to have. 



Not far from Stornoway there is another large 

 expanse of sand laid bare at low water in what is 

 called Broad Bay. This they arranged to visit on a 

 subsequent occasion. They were warned that in some 

 parts of this bay there were quicksands in which they 

 might be entirely engulfed after the manner of the 

 unfortunate master of Ravenswood. Upon reaching 

 the shore, they had not proceeded far before they had 

 to cross a small streamlet. There was very little 

 water in it, and, by dropping a stone or two in, they 

 were able to step over without any inconvenience. 

 After wandering a good way across the sands, they 

 at length noticed that to retrace their steps was no 

 small distance, and bethought them that with the 

 incoming tide they could not so well judge the 

 character of the ground, and that if they chanced 

 upon the quicksands the danger would be greatly 

 increased. Just as they were reasoning in this way, 

 they were seized with alarm at the observation that 

 they were already sinking in the sand well up on 

 their boots. They at once hurried back, keeping as 

 far as they could on the ridges, till they came to the 

 little streamlet they had previously crossed. This 



