1 897] A. Halkett.— A Naturalists' Notes. in 



together, and at regular intervals there are rows of punctures, 

 being the passages for as many ambulacral feet. The digestive 

 system is very complete, the mouth being furnished with five 

 teeth. They are also possessed of five rudimentary eyes. 



It would be difificult without visiting the tropics to find a 

 more jileasing object to the eye than the Sea-anemone, which 

 abounds on this shore. The ground colour is a soft green, 

 merging as it approaches the ends of the tentacles into the most 

 delicate shade of pink. Biologically the Sea-anemones hold a 

 place very distinct from the Star-fishes and Urchins, although 

 both groups were included by Cuvier in his sub-kingdom 

 Radiata. 



The Mussels and Barnacles cover the rocks by thousands 

 and the Hermit-crabs having robbed many a gastropod of its 

 shell, move about actively over the stones in the i)Oois, or in the 

 the moist places caused by a dense growth of algae. 



One of the most charming sights which I can recall in my 

 natural history studies is that afforded by a deep salt-water pool 

 among the inshore rocks in this part of the Pacific. The long 

 and narrow bladed grass partially covers the surface, and cur- 

 tains the sides, which are strewed with great Star-fishes, Chitons, 

 and Anemones with tints of delicate pink and green, which 

 blend perfectly with the soft colour of the water. 



The islands off Barclay Sound are worthy of mention. 

 A few are jagged rocks, crowned with conifers, and covered 

 with mussels and barnacles. Here again the anemones 

 and starfishes find a suitable habitat, and are hidden and 

 revealed each alternate moment as the white waves dash against 

 the sides. Other islands are merely bare rocks without any vestige 

 of a tree, and afford a home to the White-headed Gull {Larus 

 heei'-mani, Cass.) which in the breeding serson has a bill of a 

 bright vermilion red, and a red ring around the eye. - 



A specimen of the Picked Dog-fish {Squalus acmithias, L.) 

 was caught near here in 30 fathoms of water. This species is a 



