344 THE BLENNY-FISH. Chap. XVI L 



may be considered amphibious, as it lives as much out of the 

 water as in it, and its most busy time is during low water. 

 Then it appears on the sand or mud, near the little pools 

 left by the retiring tide; it raises itself on its pectoral 

 fins into something of a standing attitude, and with its large 

 projecting eyes keeps a sharp look-out for the light-coloured 

 fly, on which it feeds. Should the fly alight at too great 

 a distance for even a second leap, the blenny moves slowly 

 towards it like a cat to its prey, or like a jumping spider ; 

 and, as soon as it gets within two or three inches of the 

 insect, by a sudden sj)ring contrives to pop its underset 

 mouth directly over the unlucky victim. He is, moreover, 

 a pugnacious little fellow ; and rather prolonged fights may 

 be observed between him and his brethren. One, in fleeing 

 from an apparent danger, jumped into a pool a foot square, 

 which the other evidently regarded as Iris by right of prior 

 discovery ; in a twinkling the owner, with eyes flashing fury 

 and with dorsal fin bristling up in rage, dashed at the intrud- 

 ing foe. The fight waxed furious, no tempest in a teapot 

 ever equalled the storm of that miniature sea. The warriors 

 were now in the water, and anon out of it, for the battle 

 raged on sea and shore. They struck hard, they bit each 

 other ; until, becoming exhausted, they seized each other by 

 the jaws like two bull-dogs, then paused for breath, and at 

 it again as fiercely as before, until the combat ended by 

 the precipitate retreat of the invader. 



The muddy ground under the mangrove-trees is covered 

 with soldier-crabs, which quickly slink into their holes on any 

 symptom of danger. When the ebbing tide retires, 

 myriads of minute crabs emerge from their unclergound 

 quarters, and begin to work like so many busy bees. 

 Soon many miles of the smooth sand become rough with 

 the results of their labour. They are toiling for their 



