220 The Madras, &c. ; Ship Worm, Ravages of. 



When examining fishes' stomachs as to natnre of their food, 

 we have very frequently detected fragmentary shells of young 

 cockles (the fishermen's "trayle") ; at chance intervals also other 

 diminutive shell fish, of less account from fisheries point of 

 view, such as species of Nucula, Tapes, Odostomia, Rissoa, &c. 

 Indeed, our Zostera beds and seaweed, rocky pools, besides the 

 hydroid clusters on the covered sand banks, are natural 

 rendezvous for the fry of a variety of mollusks and other 

 lower marine organisms. Thence resort the shrimps, and 

 accompanying minute crustaceans, followed by brood and adult 

 fish, as thick as hops. 



The Wood Borers (e) of which the SHIP WORM (Teredo 

 navalis) is a notable representative, yet cannot be claimed as 

 useful for bait, though in a limited way it may be reckoned as 

 provender for small crustaceans and diminutive fish. We here 

 introduce remarks on it as a silent worker, a foe whose hidden 

 presence fishermen and others have to keep a sharp look out 

 for. 



A worm only by name, and shape of lengthened body, 

 nevertheless its organization is that of a bivalve mollusk. 

 Its ravages in ships' timbers, piers and landing stages, &c., are 

 notorious and need not here be dilated on. It is destructive at 

 Ramsgate, Broadstairs (fishermen's elm-stakes), Herne Bay 

 (Old Pier), Sheerness (harbour piles), and Queenborough. It is 

 found in the Medway and Thames generally, especially among 

 stationary watch-boats, and such craft as have been moored for 

 a long period. The Medway neighbourhood gets the credit of 

 being the most fraught with danger from Teredo. We may 

 exemplify its occurrence by one instance. When with a 

 shrimper at the Medway mouth, adjoining the Nore Sand, 

 suddenly the "Bawley" was brought up sharply, something 

 had gone wrong with the trawl then down. Only after much 

 manoeuvring and injury to net was a barge's great leeboard 

 hoisted in. This was riddled with live Teredo. Such instances 

 are not uncommon. Again, the fishermen's craft, though fre- 



