Notes on the natural history of the Bell RockCampbell, J. M. (John MacLean)
History
Notes on the natural history of the Bell Rock
Campbell, J. M. (John MacLean)
Lighthouses -- Natural history; Natural history -- Scotland -- Bell Rock
seemed to think so, for he there and then opened the banquet with a rip
of his teeth that distributed the offal amongst the hungry cordon.
The rocks become at this season of the year invested with a slippery
coating of algæ, which renders it extremely difficult to maintain one’s
footing, and also necessitates repeated applications of hot lime to our
gratings in order to render them passable. Myriads of minute whelks, no
larger than turnip seed, strew the rocks and crunch under foot as we
walk, while great patches of mussel spawn delight the heart of the more
venturesome of the white whelks--a prospecting party who will doubtless
communicate the promising state of the commissariat to their fellows
still in winter quarters.
Fishing in the Rock pools has been tried for the first time this
season, and resulted in the capture of a solitary “cobbler.” It may be
a month hence before we meet with any success.
This month has been extremely mild, though the hills behind Arbroath
are still seen to carry portions of their winter coat, while the
higher ranges inland are completely snow-capped. On a clear day our
view is limited by Tod Head, about twenty-five miles to the north,
and St Abb’s Head thirty miles south of us. The coast-line presents a
uniform flatness, which becomes monotonous in comparison with the more
picturesque raggedness of the West Coast. A most conspicuous feature
in the landscape in the vicinity of Arbroath is the clump of trees on
the summit of the Law Hill--a landmark well known to navigators, and
easily discernible, as it stands sharply defined against the sky-line.
Arbroath, when not enveloped in smoke, is clearly seen, and with the
aid of our telescope the after-church promenaders can be distinguished
on the Protection Wall, or wending their way towards the Victoria Park.
_APRIL 1902._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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