THE SEA-SIDE NATURALIST 31 



required for any other purpose. Live molluscs, crabs, small fishes, 

 &c., may all be put in the receptacle with this weed, and all will 

 probably be still alive after the collecting and the homeward 

 journey have been completed. Probe the corners of the pool with 

 the point of the net, and also sweep the net upward among the 

 weeds to remove any creatures that seek shelter among the fronds. 

 Tufts of corallines and other weeds should be searched for the 

 small and delicate starfishes that live among them, and any stones 

 that may cover the bottom of the pool should be lifted. Anemones 

 may be removed from the rocks by means of a rather blunt knife ; 

 but, if possible, it will be better to chip off a small piece of the rock 

 with the anemone attached to it, and wrap it lightly round with 

 a tuft of soft weed previous to placing it in the collecting case. 



A number of rock pools should be searched in this manner, but 

 those chosen should vary as much as possible in general character. 

 All very small and delicate objects should be isolated from the 

 general stock, and placed, with the usual packing material, either in 

 tin boxes or small wide-mouthed bottles ; and if any animals taken 

 are not required alive, but only for preservation, they should be 

 preferably killed at once and then stored in a separate case. Some 

 creatures are easily killed by simply dropping them into a bottle 

 of fresh water, but others should be covered with methylated spirit. 

 It should be mentioned, however, that the natural appearance 

 of some of the crustaceans is quite destroyed by strong spirit, 

 which soon makes them look as if they had been boiled. Some 

 species are changed in this way much more readily than others ; 

 and, until sufficient experience has been gained to enable the young 

 collector to distinguish between them, it will be advisable to kill 

 and temporarily preserve crustaceans in spirit that has been 

 considerably diluted with water about two parts of water to one 

 of spirit, for example. Further, there are certain fragile starfishes 

 that have a way of breaking themselves into pieces when dropped 

 into spirit, or even when suddenly disturbed in almost any other 

 manner. These must always be handled gently, and if it is required 

 to kill them for preservation, the best way will be to put them in 

 a little salt water, and then gradually add fresh water until the 

 desired result is obtained. 



Perhaps the most productive of all sea- shore work is the 

 turning over of the stones of various sizes near the low-tide mark, 

 and the examination of the chinks and sheltered hollows of the 

 rocks that are left uncovered for but a short period. This work 



