68 Transactions. 



Art. XVI. — Results of Dredging on the Continental Shelf 



of Neiv Zealand. 



By Charles Hedley, F.L.S. 



[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 7th June, 1905.] 



Plate- I and II. 



Introduction. 



During the meeting in January, 1904, of ihe Australasian As- 

 sociation for the Advancement of Science, at Dunedin, a party 

 of the assembled zoologists proposed to attempt some deep-sea 

 dredging. The project received the cordial sympathy of the 

 President, Professor T. W. E. David, F.R.S., who referred to 

 it in his presidential address. 



To Professor Benham, Messrs. A. Hamilton, G. M. Thom- 

 son, and the writer, the use of a steamer was generously 

 granted by the Dunedin Harbour Board. We gratefully ac- 

 knowledge also the assistance of the Union Steamship Com- 

 pany of New Zealand, who provided us with deep-sea sounding 

 apparatus, and the services of two of their officers to operate 

 it. 



I had brought with me from Sydney several hundred 

 fathoms of wire rope and a dredging-bucket of my own design 

 which had done good service on similar occasions. The latter 

 may be briefly described as a conical bucket, the aperture of 

 which was choked by a movable inverted truncated metal 

 cone, like that fitted to the mouth of a rain-gauge. 



The day appointed for the excursion was unfortunately 

 spoilt by rough weather. We spent twelve hours of the 14th 

 January in great discomfort, sounding and dredging about 

 twelve to twentv miles outside Port Chalmers, in from 100 to 

 300 fathoms. As a result we lost considerable gear, and 

 obtained only a cupful of bottom from 100 fathoms. The 

 bucket dredge appeared to fill properly, and was raised to 

 within a few fathoms of the surface when the line parted. 

 It seemed to be twisted off. This accident I attribute to 

 the want of a swivel link. 



A second expedition was later organized in Auckland, 

 where Professor Park, Rev. W. H. Webster, Messrs. H. 

 Suter, R. Murdoch, and C. Cooper joined the writer. The 

 bucket lost off Port Chalmers was replaced by one built by a 

 local tradesman. A serviceable vessel, the " Awarua," fitted 

 with steam winding-gear, was engaged for the trip. 



