4266 The Zoologist — December, 1874. 



shell of an acorn barnacle, and with an amount of exactness that is apparent 

 to the most ordinaiy observer. We have here in this fish, then, the most 

 perfect possible embodiment of a rocky boulder, with its associated animal 

 and vegetable growths. Lying prone at the bottom of the ocean among 

 ordinary rocks and debris, it might well pass muster as an inanimate object, 

 and the other fish on which it preys would approach it with impunity, and 

 never discover their mistake until too late to escape from its merciless jaws. 

 Ensconce the animal snugly, however, in the crevice of some precipitous 

 submarine cliff, and the illusion is more perfectly complete. No strategy 

 need now be exerted by the voracious fish to attract his prey ; he has only 

 to lie close and quiet, letting his tendrils sway to and fro in the passing 

 current like the weeds around him, and the shoals will approach, browsing 

 the vegetation, or pursuing their cruslaceous diet right into his very mouth. 

 And that such surroundings as the foregoing are most congenial to the 

 angler's tastes is abundantly evinced by the habits of the specimen in the 

 Manchester Aquarium. He is ever slinking off to the rockwork, and 

 establishing himself so closely in some snug corner that it requires, not- 

 withstanding his large size, a considerable amount of diligent search to 

 detect him." 



Ray's Bream near Penzance. — On the 10th of July last a specimen of 

 Ray's bream [Brama llaijii) was found nearly dead on the beach near this 

 place. It is remarkable of this fish, I believe, that it has never yet been 

 taken unless in this way. It was brought to me, and is now set up for our 

 museum. — Thomas Cornish; October 14, 1874. 



Pilot-fish at Plymouth. — Yesterday two beautiful specimens of the pilot- 

 fish were brought to me for identification by a young sailor who had caught 

 them with his hands from off a yacht, he said, in the Great Western Docks, 

 Plymouth. I believe numbers of this species sometimes follow ships into 

 our harbours. — J. Oatcombe; November 10, 1874. 



King Crahs at the Crystal Palace Aquarium. — The Aquarium has 

 obtained a dozen fine king crabs (Limulus Polyphemus) : this is a great 

 acquisition, but they are by no means so interesting as could be wished. 

 After all Mr. Lloyd's experience at Hamburgh, as recorded in a former 

 number of the ' Zoologist,' he does not seem to have instructed his attendants 

 bow to feed king crabs for the gratification of his visitors. I long to see 

 them use that strange mouths of theirs, which seems to be composed entirely 

 of legs, and not to be a mouth at all, except by courtesy. Food is provided 

 in plenty, and the attendant tells me it sometimes disappears, but if so, like 

 the banquets provided of old for the Egyptian gods, it is disposed of when 

 the backs of visitors are turned. — Edward Neivman. 



