element, though now exhibiting but few attractions. We observe, also, many sea urchins (Echini), some as large as a baby's head, others small as a walnut, with purple spines of different sizes and forms, sea-cucumbers, polyzoa, and zoophytes in abundance, tunicated molluscs, masses of whelk eggs, spawn, magnificent scallops, grape-like bunches of cuttle-fish eggs, leathery nidamenta of rays and "dogs," huge oysters, which, though inferior in flavour to natives, are palatable enough to appetites sharpened by the seabreeze. But nearly all these things are "rubbish" to the fishermen, though treasures to the naturalist; so overboard they go.

Let us glance at the fish. We see several skates, with their long prickly tails and squinting eyes—not bad food, however, when properly cooked, with cockle or egg-sauce, and held in estimation by college dons long ago, less popular now than their merits deserve; haddocks and soles; turbots thirty pounds weight and more; spotted dog-fish, plaice, flounders, and brill. Here, too, is a fish of which I have spoken to you before; beware of touching it, for the erect phalanx of dorsal spines bespeaks mischief. This is the great weever, the noli me tangere of the ocean beds, capable of inflicting a severe wound with its poisoned weapons. The "rubbish" is soon thrown overboard, and the men have plenty to do to sort the fish, and consign them to their respective compartments.

"Have you ever shot a puffin?" Willy asked. Yes, many years ago I shot two or three specimens, a guillemot and a razor-bill-birds that used to be very

common on the Ormeshead and on Puffin Island. I had them stuffed. The puffin is a very curious bird; it is sometimes called the sea-parrot, as its bill bears some resemblance to a parrot. These birds are only summer visitors to our coasts, arriving in April and leaving about the end of August. Early in May puffins deposit a single large egg, sometimes in crevices and fissures on the perpendicular surfaces of the cliffs, at the depth of three or four feet from the front. Rabbit warrens are not unfrequent on our coast, and where this happens the puffins often contend with the rabbits for the possession of some of the burrows.

Many puffins, Mr. Selby observes, "resort to the Fern Islands, selecting such as are covered with a stratum of vegetable mould; and here they dig their own burrows, from there not being any rabbits to dispossess upon the particular islets they frequent. They commence this operation about the first week in May, and the hole is generally excavated to the depth of three feet, often in a curving direction, and occasionally with two entrances. When engaged in digging, which is principally performed by the males, they are sometimes so intent upon their work as to admit of being taken by the hand, and the same may also be done during incubation. At this period I have frequently obtained specimens by thrusting my arm into the burrow, though at the risk of receiving a severe bite from the powerful and sharp-edged bill of the old bird. At the farther end of this hole the single egg is deposited, which in size nearly equals