SMOOTH BLENNY, ETC. 59 



with food lie withdrew in great alarm, generally seek- 

 ing shelter under a frond of dulse. Happening one 

 day to observe the presence of a hole in the dulse, it 

 struck me that it might be no bad plan to drop a 

 morsel through it. The Blenny forthwith appre- 

 ciated my consideration, and devoured mouthful after 

 mouthful, as fast as it could be transmitted, until his 

 hunger was completely appeased. Having once suc- 

 ceeded in inspiring a relish for a different diet to the 

 ordinary one of the Aquarium, I was hopeful of ulti- 

 mately getting his mauvaise honte removed, and of 

 seeing him comport himself at eating hours with the 

 gravity of his better bred companions. My expec- 

 tations were more than fully realised; for, having 

 once disposed of his superfluous modesty, the little 

 fellow became a perfect nuisance in the republican 

 community of which he was a member. All of a 

 sudden he seemed inspired with the genius of mis- 

 chief; and though to me, as an onlooker, it was rather 

 amusing to watch his rough fun, its objects were far 

 from well pleased. His ingenuity in annoying his 

 brother and sister Blennies was untiring. Not a 

 moment appeared to pass in which their harmless 

 gambols were not interrupted by smarter slaps than 

 were agreeable to such docile play-fellows. More 

 than once the little rascal attempted to crop off some 

 feathers of my pretty Sabella a malicious design 

 always intercepted by the keen vision of the assailed. 

 My charming Daisy-anemones were kept in a state 

 of continual irritation by the continuous flappings of 



