A GARDEN OF N ERE US 171 
neighbours made attempts to seize them every time they 
ventured near. 
From under a projecting ledge of rock a new form appeared 
—a starfish (U raster vubens). Warily it made its way out of its 
hidden corner into the light. As it moved slowly along, its 
back was humped up dome-shaped, for it seemed to use the tips 
only of its five arms in locomotion. At the edge of the recess 
and before, as it were, turning the corner, it lifted up one arm and 
kept it raised for some moments, as if to give a look round 
before venturing further. Finally, down went the arm, the 
disc flattened out, and the creature remained stationary during 
the rest of our watch. 
We felt so sorry for the starving creatures in the pool that 
we crushed some mussels and dropped them into the water. 
It was quite amusing to see the commotion which followed. 
The gurnets dived after some of the dainty morsels, and having 
secured pieces of flesh to which particles of shell were attached, 
shook them in their mouths like a dog, to rid them of the hard 
fragments. 
The crabs and lobsters snatched at the food as it sank, and 
then rested quite solemnly, meat in one claw, picking and feed- 
ing themselves with the other. Their hunger satisfied, one by 
one they retired beneath the stones. Two lobsters, evidently 
strengthened and emboldened by their luscious repast, met face 
to face in front of a favoured recess. Instantaneously out came 
both pairs of eye pegs and the warriors glared defiance at each 
other. Both retreated a few steps, then advanced and glared 
anew. These actions were repeated two or three times, when 
the smaller warrior turned tail and hid himself beneath a stone 
a little distance off, while the larger one triumphantly took 
possession of the coveted nook. 
Our interest in the pool disappeared with the lobsters and 
crabs, so we now directed our gaze seaward. Far away to the 
horizon the blue lines of the great strong sea extended, unbroken 
by sign of ship or sail. Near the shore, ridges of rock rose 
above the surface of the water like the back fins of some huge 
sea monsters, and over these ridges the waves played and formed 
a white lacework of foam which tumbled over in tiny silvery 
cataracts and rejoined the sea. On some of these rock ridges 
sea birds sat solemnly in rows. Four great cormorants rose 
from fishing in the sea and took possession of one ridge. As 
though at a given signal the four birds spread out their wings, 
stretched out their long necks and then spun round and round 
like teetotums, perhaps to dry themselves. They looked 
perfectly ridiculous during these gyrations, but finally they 
settled themselves down quietly, but with the wings still 
outspread. 
Some time previously we had heard what sounded like a shot 
in the distance, and just as the birds had ceased their antics, a 
boat, containing four men, came cautiously round the rocks on 
