Aquaria. 9339 
to drag the dredge,—not too much, as it may get unmanageable if there 
are “ white horses” about, and not too little, because if there is not a 
moderate breeze, one may get becalmed, as I have done, for a whole 
day, and come home without a single specimen. ‘The town of Aberyst- 
with offers no facilities for dredging, but after much delay and diffi- 
culty I succeeded in making the acquaintance of a trawler, the only 
man in the place possessing suitable—or, in fact, any—dredges, and 
arranged for a sail with him, but the wind suddenly changing from 
N.W. to S.W. caused a heavy sea, and rendered it impossible to pass 
the harbour bar. Added to this my holiday having run to the end of 
its tether, precluded the possibility (for the present, at least) of attempt- 
ing to dredge the Bay. I have often thought that it would be a capital 
plan for the marine naturalist having time at his command, and courage 
enough for the purpose, to take “ pot luck” on board a trawler for 
three or four days, and overhaul the refuse. The suggestion is not 
new, but I have never heard of its being attempted. _I_ feel confident 
it would amply repay one for the trifling abnegation of the comforts 
of home. 
The third occupation—surface-dipping, for Medusz and embryonic 
forms of marine life—should be followed in the after part of the day 
when the weather is warm and the sea as calm asa mill-pool. It is 
undoubtedly one of the most interesting and least difficult modes of 
pursuing the study of Marine Zoology. It was with the dipping-net 
that I obtained the greatest prizes. In addition to dozens of speci- 
‘mens of the crystal Cydippe and Beroe, with those of rarer genera, I 
was so fortunate as to take three or four of the Willsia stellata, of 
which rare and elegant Medusa the late Professor Forbes says (“ Naked- 
eyed Medusz,” p. 20) :—‘ It is so transparent that usually only the 
reproductive star and the marginal circle of brilliant ocelli—like a 
mimic sun with its surrounding planets—can be perceived by the 
naked eye. When placed in a watch-glass, however, the singular 
arrangement of its vessels and the other details of its structure may 
easily be made out without the use of a high magnifying power.” The 
Professor, it seems, did not find Willsia stellata at Zetland, nor further 
west than the Lizard on the South Coast of England, so that this cap- 
ture is novel. Geryonia appendiculata (brilliantly luminous in the 
dark), and several specimens of the genera Turis and Thaumantias 
were also taken. Polyxenia Alderi was also secured. 
This last gave rise to an amusing joke on the part of the boatman 
who was with me when I took it. Looking, as I dare say he did, 
with considerable disgust at my sport, and wondering why I did not 
