MARINE BIOLOGICAL STATION ON PUFFIN ISLAND. 25 
tination, and with joy we saw the burly captain on the 
bridge turn round, look at us for a moment, and then apply 
his mouth to the speaking tube, and we fancied we almost 
heard the obvious ‘‘ stop her,” which enabled us two min- 
utes later to dash alongside the steamship St. Seiriol (most 
appropriately named), and, fastening our painter round 
her rail, clamber on board, state our case, and claim the 
protection and help of our patron saint with such success 
that Captain Hughes most kindly welcomed us, and agreed 
to tow our httle punt down to somewhere near Puffin 
Island. The St. Seiriol was bound to Dingwall with a 
cargo of slates. A good little boat she is, with a worthy 
captain, and we had half a mind to go the whole round 
in her. However, business is business, and the lowest 
spring tide of the year was awaiting us, so after photo- 
eraphing Captain Hughes and the crew with our Kodaks, 
we were cast off in the little punt in the middle of the 
stormy channel, through which the tide runs with great 
- force, between Anglesey and Puffin, and so we made our 
way to the shore, to the great astonishment of Dr. 
Hanitsch, who did not expect to see us till some hours 
later. 
During the remainder of our stay the weather was per- 
fect. In fact, on the second day it was so calm that in the 
evening at low tide we were able to row into the wonder- 
ful “‘ sponge caves’ on the north side (which can only be 
entered at the lowest of tides and on a calm day, and then 
only in a small .boat), and inspect their treasures. The 
two large caves are close together, and have been hollowed 
by the sea out of the bases of the high limestone cliffs. 
Their mouths face seawards towards the Irish coast, and 
on entering the boat has to be pushed (it 1s too narrow to 
row) through a long tunnel-like passage, with vertical walls, 
to the inner end, with its small piece of sloping gravel 
