246 The Naturalist of Cumbrae. 



seen, and in regard to which, when he did see it, he 

 asked his friend what he was going to do with the toy. 



The ordinary naturalist's dredge, with which Mr. 

 Robertson was first acquainted, was generally about 

 twenty-four inches broad at the mouth, and was 

 heavy work even for two men in a rowing boat. 



He thought to himself that a dredge one half the 

 size would be one half easier to pull, and that by 

 dragging it double the length as much ground would 

 be covered as with the large one and with far less 

 toil, and that it could be easily worked by one man. 

 The bag too, being smaller and holding less, would 

 be more easily pulled up. It would not, it is true, 

 bring up so much material, but it would bring up 

 quite enough for convenient and thorough examina- 

 tion. Another advantage would be that the less 

 weight and bulk of the dredge and ropes would make 

 them handier for transport, a matter of considerable 

 importance in a small dredging expedition. 



As soon as he found the benefit of the smaller 

 dredge, he gave up the use of the larger altogether. 



But after using with satisfaction his twelve-inch 

 dredge, he took a further step. He made one only 

 seven inches long at the mouth and three inches 

 wide at the further extremity. Although this could 

 not take in large animals, it would admit of almost 

 all that the naturalist cares for, and as his object 

 in making it was chiefly for microscopic forms, 

 especially ostracoda and foraminifera, it answered its 

 purpose beyond expectation. Being only four pounds 

 weight it could be thrown a good way into lochs or 

 canals, and brought out full of material rich with 



