312 THE LIFE OF PHILIP HENRY GOSSE. 



took sailing excursions, he often had the advantage of the 

 company of Mr. Arthur Hunt, of Torquay, a young 

 naturalist of knowledge and enthusiasm, who then pos- 

 sessed a yacht, the Gannet, in which the friends undertook 

 frequent scientific excursions, especially over the sandy 

 Zostera-beds in Torbay, among the little archipelago 

 which lies off Hope's Nose, at the mouth of Brixham 

 Harbour, and off Berry Head. His letters of this period 

 usually contain some pleasant reference to his beautiful 

 tank and its inmates. For example (June n, 1877), he 

 writes : — 



" Have I told you of a young lobster, which, about 

 " two months ago, I caught in Petit Tor great pool with 

 "my fingers, after more than an hour's effort ? He was 

 " a beautiful fellow then, just six inches long, without 

 " reckoning his claws ; but after a week or two he 

 " sloughed one night, to my dismay next morning, for I 

 " supposed the slough to be my pet dead, so perfect was 

 "it in every member; but presently I saw the gentleman 

 " in duplicate, safe ensconced in a dark corner, and at 

 "least one-third longer. He is now very saucy and 

 " fierce ; quite cock of the walk ; does me some damage 

 " by killing and gnawing now and then one of his fellow- 

 " captives ; but this I put up with, for he is such a beauty. 

 " I have been out dredging several times lately again 

 " with Arthur Hunt, who is very kind to me, urging me 

 "to go out frequently, and putting his boat and two 

 "dredges, and himself, and a boatman, at my entire 

 " command, and then, forsooth, taking all as if / had 

 " done him a great favour ! The worst of it is, I can't 

 " stand any toss — old sailor as I am — without a rebellion 

 " within. But the bottom of Torbay is so rich in zoology, 

 " that it is worth the scraping ; and Hunt is himself a 

 1 " naturalist." 



