14 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



waters ; and " small Starfish . . . did much mischief to the 

 brood Mussels " ; many of these " in extreme diameter were 

 between the size of a threepenny and a sixpenny piece," and by 

 the Inspector's measurements and calculations would require 

 considerably over 4,000,000 to weigh a ton. " Small as the 

 Starfish are, up to two and two and a half tons have been taken 

 in a day. Starfish are fond of Cockles. I have observed a large 

 one devouring a Cockle and holding over a score others on the 

 suckers of its five arms or feet." 



I cannot dismiss these entertaining Eeports without referring 

 to the notes on the Lugworm. Since sea-angling has become so 

 popular, huge quantities are obtained for the tackle-shopkeepers, 

 who retail them at about tenpence a hundred, keeping them in 

 drawers, something like fruit-trays, in a rack, the worms being 

 spread on sacking wetted with salt water. They die rather 

 quickly, so that, owing to the vagaries of the weather, the 

 business is a somewhat precarious one. Some forty men in the 

 neighbourhood of Wells alone are engaged wholly or partly in 

 digging for them. Many of the worms are used for long lining 

 in the immediate neighbourhood. The men, roughly speaking, 

 average 1200 worms apiece; "one," says the inspector, "had 

 obtained 2000 worms in a tide" — i.e., on the ebb, which 

 uncovers the low-lying sands for a remarkable distance. 

 " Worming " and " cockling " are pursuits at variance, and, it is 

 evident, to the detriment of the last-named industry. 



With regard to the Sprat-fishing at Southwold, Mr. Ernest E, 

 Cooper wrote me on December 4th : "I regret to say that up to 

 date our Sprat-fishing has been a failure. None were caught in 

 October ; a few were caught during the first ten days in 

 November, but the weather was stormy, and on the 9th one of 

 our men and his son lost their lives through their boat being 

 swamped. Then the wind set in from the east and north — gales, 

 frost, and snow— and the Sprats disappeared. This week the 

 wind came southerly again, and when the sea moderated the 

 boats got a few Sprats ; yesterday about 150 bushels were landed 

 at the Harbour, and if the weather keeps fine and open the men 

 may still make a short fishing. In addition to the weather they 

 are hampered by the military restrictions, only being allowed to 

 be off during daylight. [Night is best for Sprat-fishing.] The 



