CHAP, ix.] DREDGING EXPERIMENTS. 407 



diving apparatus, and bringing down one of the best divers 

 from London, proceeded to search the bottoms of several lochs 

 on a systematic plan. Many obstacles were thrown in Mr. 

 Uuger's way by the proprietors, and although he was particu- 

 larly anxious to experiment on Loch Tay, the present Earl of 

 Breadalbane would not grant permission for him to do so. 

 But with the consent of the Earl of Moray the first regular 

 trial was made on Loch Venachar, and it was ascertained be- 

 yond a doubt that shells were to be found in all the sandy shal- 

 low parts of the loch ; not however in beds, as people were led 

 to suppose from dredging experiments, but only here and there 

 in clusters of a dozen or so, except at the mouth of the loch, 

 where they were more extensive and in larger quantities. The 

 diver also went down in various parts of the loch to the depth 

 of a hundred feet, where it was found to be quite impracticable 

 to search for anything so small as a pearl-mussel on account of 

 the thick muddy bottom. Mr. linger, nothing daunted by this 

 partial failure, went to Sir Eobert Menzies, who not only con-- 

 sented at once to his trying Loch Eannoch, but generously 

 placed all available boats and utensils, besides the service of 

 several men, at his disposal ; after a week's trial, however, 

 Mr. linger was reluctantly compelled for the present to desist 

 from any further experiments. 



Pearls are found in many of the Irish and Welsh rivers, 

 and Mr. linger now receives constant accessions to his stock 

 from the north of Ireland. The Conway was noted for pearls 

 in the days of Camden. The pearl-mussels are called by the 

 Welsh " Deluge shells," and are thought by the ignorant to 

 have been left by the Flood. The river Irt, in Cumberland, 

 was also at one time a famous stream for pearls ; and during 

 last century several pearls were found in the streams of Ire- 

 land, particularly in the counties of Tyrone and Donegal. We 

 read of specimens that fetched sums varying from 4 to 80. 



If my readers be curious to know how many shells will 



