298 The Naturalist of Cumbrae. 



work had been carried on, generally about three or 

 four miles off shore, in depths between forty and 

 sixty fathoms. They did not secure many absolute 

 novelties, but added considerably to what had before 

 been found off that coast. 



" The last day of our dredging in the Bonnie 

 Dundee? says Mr. Robertson, " Brady had a patient 

 that he could not leave, and I had to go by myself. 

 I had a great desire to go to the Dogger Bank. The 

 captain said that it was about forty miles off, and 

 that it would take us about five hours to get to it. 

 Although there would not be too much time to 

 dredge, and the day did not look too promising, still 

 it was the only chance that I ever might have of 

 getting to it ; so we made straight for the bank. It 

 did not turn out so well as I expected. The depth 

 was fifteen fathoms, and the bottom a muddy sand, 

 but animal life was not abundant; and nothing was 

 met with of any consequence. As clouds were still 

 threatening, and the wind getting a little stronger, 

 we did not like to venture to stay longer than to take 

 two or three haulsj but nothing was met with of 

 particular interest. As the wind did not increase we 

 had a haul now and again on the way home." 



Success in dredging would perhaps pall on the 

 appetite if it were not sometimes varied by a blank 

 day. Now and then the dredger finds in his pursuit, 

 as Punch's quarryman said of his own to the inquiring 

 geologist, that " there's nothing to be got but muck 

 and hard work." On the whole, however, the com- 

 mittee considered that they had had both a pleasant 

 and a successful week. Their only mishap consisted 



