12 SEA-SIDE STUDIES. 



other : but I am not firmly persuaded that he carried 

 home much wortli his trouble. 



Let me mention the proper equipment for a day's 

 hunting, and you will see that the pickle-jar and walk- 

 ing-stick theory is primitive, and somewhat inefficient. 

 It is necessary to take with you a geologist's hammer 

 (let it be of reasonable size), and a cold chisel ; to 

 these add an oyster-knife, a paper-knife, a landing-net, 

 and, if your intentions are serious, a small crowbar. 

 You will want a basket, which must be tolerably large, 

 and flat-bottomed. Having made that small invest- 

 ment, you turn into the chemist's and buy up all the 

 Avide-mouthed phials he will sell — those used for 

 quinine are the best. The short squat bottles, with 

 wooden caps, now sold for tooth-powder, are very 

 convenient. We lay hands on half-a-dozen of these, 

 and having laid in three or four earthenware jars (not 

 to be too abstract in our diction, let us frankly say 

 jam-pots), we return home to construct our collecting- 

 basket, which is done in this primitive fashion : A looj) 

 of string serves to keep a large jam-pot at one end of 

 the basket, at the other end another loop sustains a 

 large phial ; at one side a loop is made for hammer 

 and chisel ; opposite are two more phials. Mr Gosse, 

 in his Aquarium, I think, describes the basket he uses ; 

 but as you must order this to be made for you, my 

 plan is sufficiently serviceable, and costs no trouble. 

 The basket ready, we are now equipped. No ; there 

 is still one little implement. A piece of brass wire, 

 the end twisted into a ring of two or three inches 



