DECEMBER 305 



a very mixed bag viz., a large skate, a fishing-frog or 

 angler (Lophius), the head of a large shark, and lumps of 

 blubber which the said shark, shortly before meeting his 

 doom, had grabbed out of the flanks of a rorqual. 



Thus the vegetarian's appeal to the great pachyderms, 

 as proof of the superior physical results of a diet of herbs, 

 breaks down. The hugest mammals in the world are 

 carnivorous. Granted that the food of all terrestrial 

 animals is of ultimate vegetable origin, it is found con- 

 venient to allow other creatures to undertake for us the 

 lengthy process of browsing and gnawing, and to save 

 time by supporting our systems with the condensed 

 product. It is common, but unwise, to forget that it is 

 condensed. Dim perception of this fact is, perhaps, one 

 cause for the welcome shortening of bills of fare which 

 has come lately into fashion, both in the best hotels and 

 at the tables of discerning hostesses. 



LXXVIII 



Up to this point (December 1904), the most notable 

 feature among whiter visitants to the Solway 

 has been the unusual number of shovellers. In 

 the autumn of 1903 whooper swans appeared very early 

 in passage, and in considerable numbers, whence confident 

 presage was drawn of a hard winter. As it turned out, 

 the winter months were remarkably mild, although the 

 spring of 1904 developed more than common ferocity. 

 This year I have neither seen nor heard of any whoopers 

 in this district ; but, as I say, shovellers have been much 

 in evidence. 



The visits of this species to the sanctuary lake are 

 u 



