302 NATURAL HISTORY OF OUR SHORES 



these holes a bit of brass tubing is tightly fitted, so as to 

 project an inch on either side. 



To the under end, that which comes within the jar when 

 the cork is in place, is fastened the end of a loose coil of 

 wire. This coil, of about half-a-dozen turns, is four inches 

 long and two (about) in diameter. Over it is sewn a little 

 bag of muslin, and the free edge of the bag is tightly tied 

 around the tubing, close to the cork. A japanned iron 

 funnel, of nine inches diameter at the rim, and tightly 

 fitting the free hole in the cork, completes the arrange- 

 ment. 



The pail, with its myriad prisoners, is gently emptied 

 into the funnel. The jar is thus filled, and remains full, 

 the waste water spouting out, fountainlike, from the brass 

 tube. The muslin bag prevents the escape of the animals, 

 and, having a large surface, they are not jammed by an 

 out-rush of the water. 



The pail is filled with water ready for the next haul. 



It is well to hang the bottle over the side of the boat, to 

 avoid unnecessary slop. 



As the hauls are repeated the jar begins to present a 

 very animated appearance, for it is a poor tow netting that 

 does not result in the capture of many thousand things. 

 Copepods jerk, medusids pulsate, zoes and cumas and 

 arrow-worms and mysids sail round, and often some large 

 nereid, in its heteronereis stage, swims and wriggles around 

 fiercely, to the detriment of some of the delicate things 

 (and should be hooked out with a bent wire). 



Before bringing the jar ashore it is a good thing to pour 

 two or three pailfuls of clear water into the funnel, to wash 

 out any mud and silt which the net has gathered, and which 

 renders the water turbid. There is no rush of water towards 

 the outlet, and the captives are not washed towards it. 



There are many pelagic animals that only come to surface 

 after dark, so evening is the most prolific netting time. 



