368 The Naturalist of Cumbrae. 



currents a little too strong, preventing the dredge from taking 

 the ground, a few stones put into it will generally succeed in 

 keeping it down, or a small bag with a stone fastened to the 

 rope a fathom or two forward from the dredge will answer the 

 same purpose, and not interfere with its contents." 



A rope " an inch and a half in circumference answers very 

 well, and is strong enough for any strain likely to be put upon 

 it, and is not over half the weight of ropes usually employed for 

 dredging purposes." 



In altering the course of the boat while the dredge is down, 

 " pull the boat back over the dredge, and the slack of the rope 

 thus made will allow it to be done with ease." 



For examining the contents of the dredge, " a board measur- 

 ing four feet long by one and a half broad, having a slip of wood 

 about an inch high along each side, will, in most cases, be found 

 suitable." A pair of sieves, a coarse and a fine, are recommended 

 as useful auxiliaries. 



" When the more minute objects are wanted, a successful plan 

 with dredged material, laminaria roots, shell ddbris, etc., is to 

 take them home in a pail of water, and transfer them to a white 

 basin, and in a short time many of the small animals will be 

 seen making their way towards the sides of the vessel, and others 

 to the surface, from which they may be easily picked up. The 

 material may be occasionally stirred up, which will cause a new 

 series to appear. This process may be repeated with success 

 for a day or two. When the water has even become offensive, 

 and many of the animals have died, a few may still be found 

 on the surface, which do not appear at an earlier time." 

 "Proceedings of the Nat. Hist. Soc. Glasgow," vol. i., pp. 

 181-183. 



FISH-OTOLITHS. 



The photographic plate mentioned on page 253 represents 

 the ear-bones of the following fishes arranged in three columns, 

 but otherwise in the order here given. 



Perca fluviatilis, Lin. Perch Loch Lomond. 



Trigla gurnardus, Lin. Grey Gurnard Cumbrae. 



Cottus bubalis, Euphrasen, 6 in. Father-lasher Cumbrae. 



Pagellus centrodontus, Cuv. Sea Bream Cumbrae (2 



slides). 



