Trcnvling Expedition off Lakes Entrance. 145 



The steamer was not sufficieutly powerful to tow the net at a 

 proper speed, the speed attained at one time being only one mile 

 an hour; while on one occasion it was found that the steamer could 

 scarcely manage to turn with the net, an hour being spent in 

 turning round. 



The plan of operations was to fish near the entrance, running 

 in early in the morning to send up the fish to Melbourne. The 

 ground trawled over extended from about fourteen miles west of 

 the Entrance to opposite Lake Tyers. The depth of water was 

 about twelve to fifteen fathoms, once reaching twenty -five fathoms. 



The fish caught were chiefly Flounders, Flathead, Gurnet, 

 Sandcod, Skate, a few Sole, and a fish said to be well known in 

 Sydney though not in the Melbourne market, for which they had 

 no name. At first sight the latter were thought to be young 

 Schnapper. Owing to the coarseness of the net many small 

 things could escape, and as the net in the raising was for a long 

 time almost at water level they had good opportunities of doing 

 so. Starfishes, Crabs, and other animals could frequently be seen 

 walking ofi" as the net was brought up to the surface. After 

 some days it was decided that the trawling apparatus was too 

 heavy for the boat and must be considerably lightened. They 

 therefore decided to cut ten feet off" the beam, put on lighter 

 heads of. about forty pounds each, and alter the net accordingly. 

 These alterations would take time, and as the weather had set in 

 rough I decided to return on Monday, 8th May. When on shore 

 I spent the time in searching for anything that might be thrown 

 up, but the beach was very barren. Inland there also appeared 

 to be very little to be found. 



I have to express my thanks to the Eoyal Society for defraying 

 my expenses on the expedition; and to Dr. Wollaston (the 

 Secretary for Trades and Customs), Captain Anderson, Messrs. 

 Hill and Son (the Melbourne agents for the owners, Messrs. 

 Murray and Co. of Sydney), and Captain MacArthur of the 

 Swansea, for tlieir assistance in making the arrangements, and for 

 granting me every facility in obtaining specimens. 



Dr. Dendy says of the Sponges collected : — ^" There are about 

 twenty species, including Cavochalina bilaniellata, Halismxa 

 austrahensis (growing on Boltenia), and one calcareous sponge, 

 Leucilla saccharata. The remainder appear to be nearly all 



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