HAULING THE SEINE. 265 



creating a noise like falling rain, flapped count- 

 less mullets with sides gleaming like silver. Be- 

 sides these, there were craw-fishes, echini, star- 

 fishes, crabs, and an occasional octopus ; in fact, 

 almost every animal to be found on the great 

 reef was represented in these mangrove-root 

 communities. 



" Now, boys," said the doctor, when their ex- 

 citement had somewhat abated, "hold the net 

 steady, and remember our rule — not to kill 

 more than we can actually use." 



The seine was well up, but the fish were 

 still massed in enough water to keep them alive, 

 and out of this wonderful collection the young 

 naturalists made their selection. Of grunts, 

 snappers, and the commoner fishes they had long 

 ago secured a good supply, and only the rare 

 forms were taken, together with some small 

 specimens which the doctor thought might be 

 new to science. The net was then raised and 

 the affrighted throng released, to swim back 

 again to the old roots and perhaps exchange 

 opinions as to the cause of their remarkable ex- 

 perience. 



