MODE OF OPERATION. 333 



every two or three minutes. But I found that though 

 I took many specimens thus, they were of little value ; 

 for the way of the boat, though there was only a light 

 breeze, pressed them so strongly against the muslin 

 of the net, that they were generally dead and shape- 

 less when transferred to the jars. 



Finding that little effective was to be done thus, I 

 determined to try the rocks. We steered for Samson's 

 Cave, a huge cavern, the entrance to which is guarded 

 by two large masses of projectmg rock. The tide was 

 high, however, and the sea was breaking into the 

 cave's mouth, and dashing against the perpendicular 

 cliffs, forbidding a landing here. But within the inner 

 point there was a little sheltered beach, where the 

 rocks shoaled so as to allow landing to an agile foot, 

 and to afford standing place for the use of the net. 

 Here then I took my station, and soon perceived 

 several of the little beauties floating in the clear and 

 comparatively calm sea within reach ; and these I 

 dipped out readily. 



I adopted the plan recommended by Prof. Forbes 

 for transferring the captives to the jar, viz., turning 

 the bag of the net inside out into the water within 

 the jar, and letting the animals float off. But it 

 seemed to me that this mode injured many ; perhaps 

 because the mouths of the jars were somewhat too 

 narrow to admit the net without its falling into folds. 

 If a Medusa of considerable size happened to be be- 

 tween the folds, it would probably become spoiled by 

 the pressure, before it could be freed under the water. 

 Some of the smaller ones, moreover, say about the 

 size of a pea or a small button, would occasionally 



