51 



Fibulae and nose-rings (monilos). He also showed a large flake of 

 Tragacanth, and explained his views respecting the probable mode of 

 exudation and its cause. Mr. Marrat exhibited specimens of rare local 

 mosses, and presented further evidence in favour of his views respecting 

 the Encalypta ciliata. 



The paper for the evening was then read, — 



NOTES ON A DREDGING EXCURSION TO THE 

 NORTH CAPE. 

 By EOBEKT M'ANDEEW, Esq., F.K.S., F.L.S., President. 

 On 10th May last (1855), I set sail from Liverpool in the yacht Naiad, 

 accompanied by one of my daughters, my youngest son, and Mr. 

 Marrat, whose valuable assistance in the department of Natm-al 

 History I considered myself fortunate in being able to secure, but the 

 state of whose health compelled him to leave me and return home 

 from Oban. Having spent two or three days at Oban and likewise at 

 the Sound of Skye, where, as well as at several points off the Orkney 

 Islands, we dredged without any remarkable success, and after en- 

 countering a large proportion of contrary winds, we reached Lerwick in 

 Zetland on 24th May. Receiving while there, proposals from Mr. 

 Lucas Barrett, an enthusiastic young naturalist desirous of accom- 

 panying me to Norway, I was glad to secure his services, and delayed 

 my departure an extra week for the purpose of enabling him to join me. 

 This extended to seventeen days the time of our sojourn in Zetland, 

 during which period I availed myself of every opportunity of dredging 

 both in deep and shallow water, but did not meet with any species not 

 previously obtained from the same locality. I forwarded some fine 

 specimens of the large black HolotJmria, " Cucumaria frondosa," to the 

 Zoological Society of London, which reached their destination in appa- 

 rently good health, but survived the journey only a very short time ; 

 their death ^eing attributed to the circumstance of the temperature of 

 the water of the Vivarium in Regent's Park having risen to 70° 

 Fahrenheit, a condition cei'tainly very different from that of their 

 original habitat in Brassa Sound. In consequence of a paragraph 

 which appeared in the London Newspapers, and was copied by the 

 provincial press, announcing the arrival of Sea Cucumbers from Zet- 

 land at the Zoological Society's Gardens, enquiries were made of my 

 people, whether it was really a new available vegetable ! An indige- 

 nous edible cucumber would doubtless have been an acceptable 

 addition to the limited productions of the not very genial climate of 

 Ultima Thule. 



Mr. Barrett arrived at Lerwick on the morning of the 10th of June, 



