ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 
8 
On Apparatus for Drepcine at MODERATE DePTus in the 
Derr Sea, and for Carturine Fioatine Ossects from 
Surppoarp. By G. C. Watuicu, M.D. 
Dvxine a recent voyage from India, the success attending 
the use of certain appliances contrived by me for capturing 
such marine objects as came in our way, induces me to offer 
the subjoined account of them to the public. I may mention 
that, although familiar with the ordinary form of towing net 
and sounding apparatus, it struck me that much more might 
be done by resorting to some simple form of casting net, 
than is possible where the chapter of accidents is relied on 
for bringing within the jaws of the towing net the objects 
required, and by constructing some more portable sounding 
apparatus, which would at the same time prove effective at 
moderate depths, and bring up a much larger quantity of 
material than is attainable under the ordinary sounding lead, 
or the more complicated and cumbrous contrivance of Lieu- 
tenant Maury and others. I would further premise that 
whoever desires to make a collection of marine floating 
molluses, tunicaries, ascidians, and the like, and also. the 
minuter organisms which exist in all latitudes in the open 
ocean, to a greater or lesser extent, will be grievously disap- 
pointed if he imagines that the trailing net ‘used astern of. a 
ship will suffice for the purpose. For, to be at all successful, 
constant and unremitting watchfulness is, in the first place, 
essential; and what is equally important, a fitting place of 
ebservation at the stern of the vessel, with ten or Ss elve feet 
of the water bend. In my own case, the quarter gallery of a 
1500-ton merchantman afforded the best of all look-out 
-ports ; and from it I was enabled to use the casting net about 
to be described with ease and certainty. In the clear blue 
water of the open sea it is astonishing how rapidly the eye 
accustoms itself to detect creatures of the minutest size; and 
how readily it learns to distinguish, even in the small 
patches of calm water between each wave when a considerable 
sea is running, any object that may chance to be swimming 
near the surface. Nor is this confined to the portion of sea 
immediately below the observer, but it can be done at a 
distance of several yards. In order to embrace this distance 
VOL. VII. B 
