COMMON OBJECTS OF THE SHORE. 283 



find within, a substance resembling the yolk and 

 white of a bird's egg. A little later, the partly 

 developed fish may be seen ; and finally, the skate 

 fully formed, looking exactly like the large-sized 



fish, and lying with its tail turned over its back, 

 seems only waiting for a little more strength to 

 emerge from the end open next to its head, into its 

 new life in the waters. If taken home in this 

 state, and placed in a bason of water, the young 

 fish will gradually glide forth, and swim very com- 

 placently about in its native element. After a 

 stormy day in November, numbers may be found 

 in this condition. 



But the Mermaid' s-purse belonging to the dog- 

 fish, a small species of shark, is a much prettier, 

 though not so frequent an egg-case as this. It is 

 smaller and thinner, sometimes of a dark brown, 

 but frequently of a transparent horn colour, with 

 threads proceeding from the four corners, often 

 many feet long, making beautiful curled tassels, 

 like the tendrils of the vine. These are coiled 



