334 THAUMANTIAS. 



adhere to the muslin so firmly as not to float off when 

 immersed. I found it best, therefore, to look into the 

 net as soon as I had dipped, and notice all the knobs 

 of jelly that were visible, taking them one by one, 

 then putting my finger beneath each on the opposite 

 side of the muslin, push it under water, giving it a 

 slight jerk if it did not detach itself at once. Then, 

 when all that were perceptible were thus freed, I re- 

 versed the net in the jar for the minute and incon- 

 spicuous ones. Thus I obtained in a little while a 

 great multitude of specimens, many more than T could 

 identify when I arrived at home. I made out, how- 

 ever, about ten species, and I am sure there were 

 many more ; but by the time I had taken sketches of 

 such as w^ere not mentioned by Prof. Forbes, and had 

 identified some of those that were, the rest were lying 

 a dead confused heap at the bottom of the jars. 



By far the most common species hereabouts is 

 Thaumantias pilosella. It occurred by scores about 

 the rocky points ; it was sure to be in the net when I 

 looked at it in the boat, and it occurs in tide-pools 

 and recesses below the Capstone, and in the bathing- 

 ponds at the Tunnel. It is about three-fourths of an 

 inch in diameter, like a watch-glass in form, but 

 rather deeper, crossed at right angles by four narrow 

 lines of a faint purple tint, and margined by a great 

 number of short slender threads, each of which has 

 at its base a bulb, with a dark purple speck in it. 

 This circle of dark dots is visible even to the naked eye, 

 and they are conspicuous when a pocket lens is brought 

 to bear on them. But there is a way in which they 

 may be made most beautifully and brilliantly con- 



