48 Natural History Bui.LiiTiN. 



one ahva}s attended to the friction brake when the dredge or 

 tangles was being lowered; others were assigned the dut^• of 

 putting over and taking in the dredge, and seeing that it was 

 started properly on its downward passage; others always 

 oiled the iron rope as it was unreeled for the first time each 

 day; others attended to the assorting and labeling of the 

 material as it came on deck and still others saw to it that 

 everything was properly cared for and set aside for study or 

 permanent preservation, either dry or in alcohol. 



It will thus be seen that there was little chance for idleness 

 while active dredging was being prosecuted. Each one soon 

 became accustomed to his or her special duties, and the work 

 Avas carried on without confusion or friction. 



Three instruments for collecting were employed while on 

 the "banks," — the ''Blake" dredge, the tangles, and an o3's- 

 ter dredge, which Captain Flowers had brought along for 

 trial in this new capacit^•. This latter proved the best instru- 

 ment for work on the •• Banks," where the bottom was sand\' 

 and free from rocks. Its teeth tore up the largest gorgonians 

 with ease, and e\'erything in its path seemed to tind a sure 

 destiny in the net. In the beautifully clear water of these seas 

 we could see just how our instruments acted as the}' passed 

 over the bottom, and could correct any defect in the way they 

 were hung or in the speed of the vessel. 



The '• Blake " dredges were covered with such poor canvas 

 that the nets became exposed after a short time, and we did 

 not find them so serviceable as they otherwise would have 

 been. The tangles at once proved their usefulness, sweeping 

 up everything from minute corals and gasteropods to the solid 

 round EcJuiiauthiis, and even small coral heads. Strana'eh* 

 enough, fish were not infrequentlv brovight up on the tangles 

 and landed in good order on deck. No class of animals 

 encountered seemed able to evade the sweep of the long 

 swabs, and were it not for the difficult}' of getting the speci- 

 mens clear of the hempen strands, nothing better in the wa\- 

 of a collecting instrument could be desired. As a usual thing 

 we kept two tangles at work, using them alternately and 



