Clare Island Survey — Gaelic Plant and Animal Names. 4 23 



VI. Supplementary Notes. 

 (A.) The Grab Shell as a hook-guard. 



One of the difficulties to be overcome in fishing for the Gunner from the 

 rocks on the Clare Island coast is the tendency of the hook to foul amongst 

 the Laminaria or tangle fronds. A simple and effective remedy is found in 

 an ingenious application of the carapace of Cancer pagurus, the common 

 Edible Crab. The empty shell is cut into two across its shorter diameter, 

 leaving the dorsal and ventral plates united, and forming in front a smooth- 

 sided wedge. Then a hole is pierced in the centre of this wedge, and the 

 half-shell is strung on the fishing-line (with its wedge-shaped edge towards 

 the fisherman), and is fixed there about a foot above the hook. The baited 

 line with its sinkers is then slung out well beyond the fringe of swaying 

 tangles, with the hollow of the crab-shell turned seawards, and its wedge end 

 landwards. "When a fresh cast has to be made, the line is drawn rapidly 

 through the weeds, the sharp, smooth-sided edge of the shell clears a passage 

 for the hooks, and these slip through before the opening has time to close. 



There is probably a Gaelic name for this simple contrivance which is used 

 by all the Clare Island rock-fishers ; but I failed to find it, or any English 

 name more distinctive than the " shell." 



(B.) The "Pi&T> O&ipne&c as a Rat-catcher. 



The " Wild Bornyack " is well known to catch rats in Clare Island, not, 

 of course, by out-running them, but in the following manner, as explained to 

 me by an old islander : — 



" Of a soft evening them bornyacks clo rise up and go travelling a bit over 

 the rocks, and the rat'll come up and slip in her tongue to lick the meat, and 

 the bornyack'll clap down its shell and catch her by the tongue. And I tell 

 you the power of man couldn't loose the hold of the bornyack, and the rat is 

 caught there till the tide comes up and drowns her. I seen them myself 

 hanging there by the tongue and they dead." 



This account was confirmed by several Clare Island men. The capture of 

 a rat by a Limpet is also on record from the Scotch island of Dunstaffnage 

 (" Cambridge Nat. Hist.," vol. iii, p. 57). 



(C.) The Origin of the Operculum. 

 While collecting names of animals and plants in Clare Island I several 

 times came across a legend connecting St. Patrick with the P^ocaii lihn]ie 

 (Fweecawn Wirre). It appeared in many forms, all with a strong family like- 

 ness, and though some of the narrators were inclined to associate the legend 

 with the common p&ocAn (Fweecawu) or Periwinkle, the best authorities 



