THE AVONDERS OF THE SHORE. 121 



which a streamlet runs, with the sides and bottom 

 covered with woods, a rare feature in this neigh- 

 borhood. We are over the Zostera : the beds of 

 dark green grass are waving in the heave of the 

 swell, and we can make out the long and nar- 

 row blades by closely looking down beneath the 

 shadow of the boat. Here then is the place for 

 the kecr-drag. Down it goes and sinks into the 

 long grass, while we slowly drag it for a couple 

 of hundred yards or so. 



'• When disposed to tiy our luck, we hauled on 

 the rope till we got the mouth of the drag to the 

 top of the water ; a turn or hitch was then 

 taken round a belaying pin, with the two side 

 lines of the bridle, and the point of the net only 

 was then hauled on board, put into a pan of 

 water and untied. Here was congregated the 

 chief part of the prey taken, and hence the need 

 of having the meshes so small in this part. Out 

 swam in a moment a good many little fishes that 

 haunt the grass-bed ; as Pipe-fishes {Stjufjuathns) 

 of several species, Gobies (Gobius iniipunctatiis. 

 Sec, cVc.) and bright blue Coimcrs (Labriis and 

 Crcnilahrus). Witii these were two or three 

 active and chnrming Cuttles {Sepiohi) ; and 

 clinging to the meshes of the net in various parts 



