SHORES OF THE CLYDE AND FIRTH. 
11-9 
machinery of the sanitary department of the shore. The 
intelligence of the bernard is equal to that of the others, 
but he is extremely timid, and easily frightened into his 
shell. With all his cunning, however, he is often caught 
napping, and becomes the prey of his quicker moving 
neighbours. 
The idea of using the crab as a living bait for the 
capture of the cod, which so readily devours it, is possibly 
not a new one. In putting the idea into execution, here is 
the experience of a Gourock fisherman of keen, observing 
habits, and thoroughly experienced in fishing matters: — 
"After extracting the bernard out of his shell, which is 
sometimes done at the expense of drawing him to pieces, so 
great is his hold within, with great care," said the fisher- 
man, " I fixed the crab to the hook of my hand-line with as 
little injury as possible, and sent him down to the bottom. 
For a time I waited for the coming nibble. Once or twice 
I felt it faintly, and raised my hand in the usual striking 
fashion. No indication, however, of a fish being hooked 
came until my patience became exhausted, and I then 
raised it from the bottom. On examining the crab, I found 
it as before ] but, to my astonishment, I observed that of 
the three strong gut-hairs twined together that bound him 
to the hook, he had cut through two of them. A short 
time longer would have been sufficient to set him free, and 
how his escape was eff'ected would have been a mystery 
to me." It is said that instinct and reason are the two 
boundary lines between man and the brute. The impulse 
and promptings of Nature undoubtedly direct the actions 
of the brute ; but, as in reason, where a means is used 
towards an end, as it decidedly was in this case, it is 
difficult to perceive the distinction. 
