1895.] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL. 3*7 



used for sinkers upon a seine, is a convenient form which 

 may be readily strung upon a cord and tied upon one side 

 of the copper hoop when " fishing " by casting out from 

 the shore, or be tied at the tip of the screen-cone for 

 towing from a boat. In the latter case the lead may be 

 simply strung upon the tow-line, and so fastened that it 

 cannot move away from the net, as shown at " c ; " after 

 the first trial of which plan, the net worked so well that 

 I was not tempted to return to any one of the many 

 other arrangements that had been tried. 



There is no difficulty in towing the net in mid-water, 

 one or more meters below the surface, or near the bottom 

 where that can be readily seen, and the net be guided 

 accordingly. It may also be dragged freely upon the 

 bottom if that is hard, or is protected by dense weeds. 

 On a soft, muddy bottom, or on sand that is easily stir- 

 red up, and fine enough to pass readily through the l-16th 

 in. meshes of the screen, it is evident that this or any 

 similar arrangement will be overwhelmed with waste 

 material. The expedient of suspending heavy sinkers 

 from the hoop of the net, by strings that allow the net 

 to remain some inches above the sinkers when they are 

 dragging upon the bottom, was tried with some degree 

 of success ; but any such arrangement is precarious when 

 the net is out of sight, audit is evident that for such use, 

 if desired, the net should be enclosed in a cylindrical 

 framework or cage of stifi" brass wire, so designed that, 

 however it may fall, it will always lie upon some two 

 longitudinal wires as runners, upon which it will be sup- 

 ported and will glide like a sled, as is done in some of 

 the larger apparatus employed for similar use from 

 steam or sailing vessels. 



As soon as one collection which is to be kept by itself 

 has been completed, the material accumulated should be 

 transferred into one of the wide-mouth, (about 4 or 5 oz.) 

 wash bottles (tZ) provided for the purpose. The net is to 



