CLASS OF CRUSTACEA. 443 



the summer months, and especially during the time of the 

 herring-fishing. 



" I find, however, that maidre must abound during the 

 spring months also, as the stomachs of the herrings caught 

 at present are in most cases filled with it. 



" In frequent excursions to the Isle of May, during last 

 year, I found that the maidre consisted of one immense con- 

 tinuous body of minute animals. 



" The animals composing this immense body were those 

 belonging to the cirripeds, crustaceans, and acalepha. 



" Of these the crustaceans existed in the greatest numbers, 

 or rather masses, for it gives a faint idea to speak of num- 

 bers. The Crustacea were amphipoda and entomostraca, the 

 former of which were very abundant, but the latter (entomos- 

 traca) formed the greatest proportion of this innumerable 

 body of animals. 



" The acalepha also abounded, of which the different spe- 

 cies of beroo3 were seen in greatest numbers. 



" I remarked that the masses of maidre abounded most at 

 the sheltered sides of the island. On looking into the water, 

 it was found to be quite obscured by the moving masses of 

 entomostraca, which rendered it impossible to see anything, 

 even a few inches below the surface. 



" But if by chance a clear spot is obtained, so as to allow 

 the observer to get a view of the bottom, immense shoals of 

 coal-fish are seen swimming lazily about, and devouring their 

 minute prey in great quantities. Occasionally small shoals 

 of herrings are seen pursuing them with greater agility. It 

 is in the deep caverns, however, in the sides of the island, 

 where the maidre is found in greatest abundance ; and accord- 

 ingly, we find that all those animals pursuing them are found 

 there in greater abundance also. 



" The fishermen, during the earlier periods of the fishery, 

 take advantage of this, and, shooting their nets across the 

 mouths of the caves, alarm the herrings in them, either by 

 throwing large stones from their boats or from the tops of 

 the rocks, and in this way sometimes succeed in taking great 

 shots. 



" These, however, are not the only animals which prey on 

 the immense bodies of maidre. 



" Great numbers of cetacea often frequent the neighbour- 

 hood of the island at this time ; droves of dolphins and por- 

 poises, swimming about with great activity ; and occasionally 



