The Zoologist at Scarborough. 85 



luxuriant crop of Tangle, upon the fronds of which may be 

 found abundantly the prettiest of all our limpets — the fragile 

 Patella pellucida. It is worth while to pull up some of these 

 large algge by the roots, which are composed of an interlaced 

 mass of fibres. Their interstices always harbour small shells 

 and crustaceans, and are the special habitat of Turtonia minuta. 

 Creeping upon the leather-like fronds of the same plant may 

 also be occasionally discovered one of the less common chitons 

 (0. ruber), which when seen alive in its home is amply entitled 

 to its specific name. The rock-pools here, too, are crowded 

 with delicate sea-weeds. 



There are similar ledges of rocks exposed at low-water fur- 

 ther to the south, beyond the Spa ; but except a fine sea-hare 

 (Aplysia hybrida), which I once found in a pool, I have never 

 obtained anything peculiar from them. 



Such being the best hunting-grounds known to me on this 

 part of the coast, it was with a pleasurable anticipation that, on 

 the 8th of April last, I ascertained I should have an hour to 

 wait at Scarborough on my way to Filey, and that the period of 

 this delay nearly coincided with that of low tide. As it was 

 during the neaps, I determined to beat the cover beneath the 

 castle; and, accordingly, the shortest possible time after the 

 arrival of the train saw me descend the north face of the 

 harbour-wall, and scramble over the rocks towards the breakers. 

 Alas ! the one glance from the pier disclosed a rising tide. 

 Already my great blocks were besprinkled with spray, or 

 moated by the fast advancing waves. However, it was not a 

 time for long consideration, as the ground would soon be 

 covered, so I commenced my search with a will. Passing for 

 the present the shooting masses of Fucus serratus, which hangs 

 like shaggy locks upon every stone, and is now full of fruit, I 

 got to the lowest pools. Great groups of Laminaria digital a 

 predominated, the long strap-like divisions playing in the 

 rushing water with graceful ease. Drawing these up carefully, 

 I gathered a few good specimens of Patella pellucida from the 

 lowermost ends, and fancied that the animals clung with more 

 than usual tenacity to the fronds, so as to require a detaching 

 violence which threatened to damage the delicate shells of this 

 gasteropod. Laminaria bidbosa occurs in much less quantity, 

 and did not appear to produce anything. Selecting some 

 of the smallest of these large algas as book specimens, I next 

 succeeded in approaching close to one of the bigger stones, 

 whose dank, weed-shrouded back stood out like an elephant from 

 the lower ranks around. The waves were breaking against the 

 seaward side, and dancing and curling under it ; but balancing 

 myself carefully on two slippery points of rock, I began to col- 

 lect in hopefulness. The lower surface was profusely covered 



VOL. IV.— NO. II. II 



