116 THE SEA-SIDE AND AQUARIUM. 



myriads of objects, springing and jumping about in 

 all directions. A sight so different from what I had 

 observed at any other locality, naturally raised my 

 curiosity, and made me anxious to capture a few 

 specimens. 



The task was not so easy as I had imagined ; I did, 

 however, succeed, and found them to be what are 

 popularly termed " Sand-hoppers" a species of Shrimp 

 of a different form to the Crangon vulgaris, Sand- 

 raiser, or Common Shrimp, which grows to such a 

 nice, handsome, eatable size, and are found in abun- 

 dance in most rock-pools near low tide, and even 

 along the whole extent of the Portobello Sands. 



To oblige a juvenile friend, I turned occasionally 

 during last summer " Shrimper." I had a net made, 

 and not a little mystified the human sand-raisers, by 

 my dredging operations. While wading up to my 

 knees in water, not a few persons stepped down and 

 tried to get a peep into the tin vessel that held my 

 Shrimps. My protege was, however, generally paddling 

 in too great a depth for any person to get a distinct 

 view. Baffled curiosity would then turn round and 

 respectfully inquire, what it was we were catching 1 

 I remember one day upon my naming " Shrimps" to an 

 individual, whom by his accent I knew to be a 

 Londoner, he exclaimed, " What, real live Shrimps ? 

 Shrimps good to eat ? " " Yes," I replied, " and first- 

 rate ones too." " But you don't mean to say," he con- 

 tinued, " they are as fine as what we get at Greenwich 

 and Gravesend ? " " Yes," quite so, said I, " and even 



