NAIRN. 103 



seems entirely to be turned into a watery substance enclosed in a 

 tough skin, which enables her to draw herself whole out of the 

 shell. Anyone who has seen a crab must know how impossible 

 it would be for the animal to drag its legs and claws through the 

 small joints of these parts, unless the flesh is totally changed in 

 size and substance. Altogether, the power of a crab to cast its 

 shell entire without breaking the covering of a single limb is one 

 of the most extraordinary things in nature. 



Almost invariably, a crab, while her shell is soft and helpless, 

 is protected by a male crab, who remains with her, and on the 

 approach of danger, covers her with his body and claws, and dies 

 rather than leave his helpless charge. Take him away and put 

 him at a distance of several yards, but he returns immediately to 

 protect the helpless female. In a few days, however, the skin 

 hardens into shell, and the crab no longer needs protection. 



One of the most beautiful and delicate sea-shells found here 

 is the patella pellucida. A small thin-shelled limpet that adheres 

 to the broad-leaved tangle, great beds of which grow on the rocks, 

 which are only left uncovered at very low tides. After any 

 heavy swell or storm, it is curious to see how large masses of 

 rock are floated to some distance by the buoyancy of the sea- 

 weed attached to them, which appears to act the part of a kind 

 of parachute in the water. 



Great numbers of young gulls in their grey plumage are con- 

 stantly flying to and fro along the shore here now. Also a few 

 mallards, teal, and many kinds of sandpipers. A few days ago, 

 six geese were seen passing along. 



Migratory birds, such as wheatears, whitethroats, redstarts, 

 etc. are very numerous near the coast, waiting to depart. 



Kestrels and merlins are numerous also. Amongst other 

 birds killed by the boys for their hawk were specimens of the 

 tree-sparrow and rock-lark. 



In some spots about the middle of September, the painted 

 lady butterfly tolerably numerous, but seems to be confined to 

 certain patches of ground. 



The toad catches insects with extraordinary rapidity. Some 



