hahdwicke's science-gossip. 



20- 



COLLECTING AND PEESEEVING. 



No. XI. -LAND AND FRESIi-WATER SHELLS, &c. 



By Ralph Tate, Assoc. Lin. Soc, E.G.S., &c. 



I'OUNG friend, desirous 

 of entering upon one of 

 the most accessible 

 natural history pursuits 

 — that of the study of 

 Land and Eresli water 



^'^'^Ah^/TJil^^'^^^^'^ ^loUuscs, begged of 

 '- "^^-f I tJ^ mc some practical hints on the 

 collection and preservation of 

 these objects of our woodlands, 

 waysides, and water-courses. 

 Eelieving that this kind of 

 work offers a good stepping- 

 stone to the study of Nature 

 it its more extended forms and 

 complicated relations, I was 

 most anxious to help my tyro 

 naturalist, and that beyond his 

 utmost expectations, as I made 

 a few initiatory trips with him in a search for the 

 coveted treasures. 



Our equipment was simijle and inexpensive, con- 

 sisting of a block -tin saucepan finely perforated at 

 the bottom, about six inches across, and having a 

 hollow handle of a size to receive firmly the end of 

 a common walking-stick — such a dredge or a sifter 

 will cost ninepeuce or a shilling at a tinman's ; 

 secondly, of a pocket lens ; and lastly, of a variety 

 of boxes, and a bag to contain specimens of different 

 sizes. Thus provided, our first excursion had for its 

 object an examination of certain neighbouring 

 ponds and streams. My pupil, guessing the use of 

 the perforated saucepan, makes his way to the 

 nearest pond, fixes the improvised handle, dashes 

 in the sifter with impatient ardour, and having 

 brought up a quanity of mud from the bottom^ 

 ■looked upon the oozy mass with despair. Patience, 

 my lad ! Remember that the pleasure of success in 

 N"o. 96. 



I science is the higher, the greater the labour ex- 

 pended in obtaining the objects of our search. 

 Expect failure now and again, but do not be dis- 

 heartened : "Oliiie hast, ohie rast," should be the 

 motto of every naturalist. Now, shake the tin in 

 the water, keeping its rim just out of the water, 

 dipping it down now and then. That is well ; thus 

 you see that you have cleared off the mud, and 

 what you want is probably left behind along with 

 the rubbish. What, nothing ! Come, try again ; 

 but this time scrape the sifter along the surfac^of 

 the mud, and I am confident that you will find 

 something to reward you, and with much less 

 trouble and display of temper. lu this way, after 

 repeated trials, a number of shells were secured 

 and transferred to the boxes. Then, after the first 

 gush of excitement is over, we retire to an adjoin- 

 ing bank to con over the spoils, and I to make 

 mention of the various habits of freshwater snails, 

 and couseciuently of the different modes of search. 

 My young friend's enthusiasm is aroused by the 

 mention that a few large mussel-like shells are in- 

 habitants of our fresh waters, and great is his haste 

 to be up and again doing, in the hope of adding 

 some of them to his stock. But in vain were his 

 many attempts to find them in the pond which had 

 already yielded us such a variety. Do they live 

 here ? is at last the anxious question. No ; but let 

 us away to yon sluggish brook, for it is in such that 

 we may expect to meet with them. Now E see 

 them ; are those not their ends just peeping above 

 the mud ? And full of eagerness he dashes in the 

 dredge, but with little result, excepting tliat of a 

 dead shell or two. Oh ! how can I get them ? 

 Shall I take off my shoes and socks and wade for 

 them ? Well, you might secure them that way, and 

 sometimes it is the only way, but on this occasion I 

 do not think it necessary. Come, we will move a 



