180 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



good broad beam; it gives freedom and security in dredging 

 operations. A pulley on the stern for tlie rope lightens the labour 

 of pulling up the dredge. 



Dredges. — These are of various sizes and forms, according to the 

 uses that they are appHed to. A prevailing opinion is, that all 

 that can be acquired by the dredge may be met with on the 

 surface of the sea bottom, and dredges are generally constructed 

 in accordance with this view. The dredge in common use by 

 naturalists is one of this kind, with a scraper on both sides, so as 

 to prevent it from falling with the Avrong side down, and is very 

 efficient for general Avork. 



Believing that many valuable objects might be obtained if a 

 dredge could be made to dip deeper into the soil than the one in 

 common use, I had one constructed of galvanized iron, which 

 penetrated five or six inches into the subsoil, and reached the 

 class of animals found burrowing beneath the surface, at the same 

 time securing much in common with the flat-rimmed dredge. As 

 an auxiliary to the common dredge, this form of construction is 

 particularly useful in mud and sand, being compact with solid 

 sides, holding no more than can be conveniently examined in a 

 small boat, besides being clean and expeditious to work with. It 

 sinks and takes the ground readily, and soon fills; its small size 

 offers little resistance to the currents, and is easily pulled up. In 

 favourable weather it can be wrought in ten or twelve fathoms by one 

 man with ease, and in thirty or forty by two men without difficulty. 

 It has been objected to, on the ground that it dips suddenly into 

 the soil and is filled at once, without raking over a sufficient por- 

 tion of the sea-bottom, thus lessening the chance of a good haul. 

 This so far is true, when surface animals are only taken into 

 account; but the special province of this dredge is not the surface, 

 but beneath it, which will be found by no means thinly tenanted. 

 No one who has examined mud, sand, or gravel, dug from near 

 low water, can have failed to find them abounding with multitudes 

 of hving creatures ; and we may infer that the same holds good in 

 deeper water The result of experience with this dredge, is to 

 prove that the subsoil round our shores is the habitat, ambush, or 

 retreat of myriads of the invertebrate fauna, summer and Avinter. 

 The subsoil equalities of this dredge, instead of being objection- 

 able, aff"ord jn reality an important advantage to the naturalist — 

 for by pulling it at once on the spot where it descends, he is able 



