r 3 2 



HA RDW1 CKE 'S S CIE NCE . G SSIP. 



stones, and formed, in all likelihood, by the conti- 

 nual detrition of the mountain-streams. This soil, 

 being so friable, falls an easy prey to the eroding 

 influence of water, the sea having made considerable 

 inroads into the land ; so much so, that a lodge which 

 about thirty years ago was occupied by Lord Headley, 

 is now entirely washed away ; its site being utterly 

 unrecognizable. Now the headland of Feaklecally 

 checks any currents running up from the Atlantic, 

 while the sandhills at Rossbeigh are another break- 

 water. Thus the bottom of the bay at this portion is 

 shallow, and largely consists of the rounded boulders 

 of the conglomerate. I have given this description 

 in order to explain the kind of sea-bed I had to work 

 pon. We will now proceed to the actual dredging. 

 The first requisite is of course the dredge and rope. 

 The former of the two consists of a strong iron frame- 



Fig. 97. Lucertiaria auricula. 



work (if galvanized the better) ; the scrapers are two 

 in number, so that, no matter on which side the 

 dredge may fall, it can work. The rope is made of 

 good stout material, and ought to be "barked," 

 which can be done in any tan-yard for a trifle. The 

 rope is attached to the dredge in a somewhat peculiar 

 manner ; the end is tied securely to only one of the 

 attachment rings, and with a piece of spun yarn the 

 other ring is whipped to its fellow ; so that, supposing 

 the dredge to have anchored on a stone, and that it 

 cannot be liberated by retracing ground, and thereby 

 reversing the strain on the dredge, the boat is pulled 

 rapidly until the spun yarn breaks ; then the dredge, 

 being capsized, is freed easily. The next item is the 

 boat : the heavier this is, within reason, the better. 



In this I was, at the outset, unfortunate, as at first 

 I could only obtain one of the Irish native canvas 



canoes, which, drawing but little water and keelless, 

 would, on the smallest provocation, perform a 

 rotatory motion, which would result in heading in a 

 totally opposite direction to the one started from ; 

 however, Mr. Winn very kindly had a small whale- 

 boat belonging to him repaired for me, which served 

 my purpose excellently. Across the boat, resting on 

 each gunwale, I had a board fixed, as a support for 

 the tray which received the contents of the dredge. 

 This little detail is a very useful one, as it not only 

 saves the trouble of stooping to examine the spoil, 

 but also prevents the giddiness which often attends 

 that position, and which is very frequently the herald 

 of sea-sickness. Three sieves, of varying meshes, 

 are also very useful ; one, a coarse mesh, of about 

 half-inch diameter ; the second moderate, about 

 one eighth-inch ; and the third of perforated zinc. 

 Their use will be afterwards explained. Also a shal- 

 low box as a receptacle for the contents of the 

 dredge, plenty of bottles, in which to store the 



Fig. 98. Pisa tetraodon. 



treasures, a gallon can of fresh water, a good strong 

 pocket-knife, a brass forceps and a pocket-lens com- 

 plete the equipment. The last I would recommend to 

 be slung round the neck, so that it may be free, as it 

 is neither an easy nor a clean task to be searching for 

 it in the pocket with wet and often slimy hands. 

 Now all being completed, dressed in your oldest 

 clothes, and legs encased in mackintosh leggings, the 

 boat is pulled out to the dredging-ground, and there 

 the dredge is thrown overboard, near the stern, on 

 the windward side, taking care that the rope runs 

 freely. When it touches the bottom, the boat should 

 be rapidly pulled until enough rope has been let out : 

 roughly speaking, there should be twice as much rope 

 out as the depth of the water dredged. When enough 

 is paid out, a turn or two should be taken round a 

 belaying-pin, and the inner end retained in one hand, 

 while the other should clasp the part outside the 

 boat, by which aid, the rope serving by its vibration 

 as a kind of telephone, the working of the dredge 



