Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 17.djvu/122

112 that lay-with its valves open, in consequence of which it became shut up a prisoner by the closing of the shell. In this case, however, the shanny was more fortunate than the one taken the other day, for it is stated that in this condition of confinement the fish had continued so long that the oyster had been dredged and carried to a considerable



distance. Upon opening it, the captive was again set free alive, and without injury. Shanny are very retentive of life, and would be found nice additions to salt-water aquaria.

In our columns some years ago was recorded an even more extraordinary capture than either of the above, by Mr. Frank Buckland. As doubtless many of our readers have not seen it, we reproduce Mr. Buckland's remarks and the illustration which appeared at the time:

"Some time since, when examining the famous oyster-beds at Helston, near Falmouth, Mr. Fred Hill, of Helston, was kind enough to accompany me and my friend Mr. Howard Fox, of Falmouth, in our expedition. Mr. Hill mentioned to me at the time that he had a curious specimen of a bird that had been caught by an oyster. The bird and oyster had been mounted in a case by Mr. Vingor, of Penzance. I have received from Mr. Hill a photograph of the above event, which I have since had engraved as above. The history is, that a woman who sells oysters went one morning to the Helford River and found the bird a—common rail—dead, with its beak held quite firmly by the oyster, which was still alive.

"The bird in all probability was wandering along the foreshore looking for his dinner, and Mr. Oyster—possibly left longer by the tide than usual—was opening his shells waiting the incoming water. The hungry rail, seeing something that looked like a white and dainty bit of food, pecked at the body of the oyster, and probably pricked him sharply with his beak. The oyster then snapped his shells together as