COLLECTING IN ANTARCTIC SEAS. 9 
source of loss ; but if the ice could be hooked up from below before any attempt was 
made to release it, the loss could be avoided. It should be borne in mind that a large 
proportion of the work was done in the dark and, apart from this fact, once water 
gained access to the hole, the whereabouts of the line was more or less a matter of 
guesswork. Lines cannot be coiled nor wound on a winch ; when frozen they snap only 
too readily. It was always necessary to “walk away” with them when hauled, and let 
them lie out straight on the floe. If, however, the depth was greater than 30 fathoms, 
or thereabouts, they lay out in festoons. Lengths of flexible steel rope not exceeding 
an eighth of an inch in diameter are strongly recommended, as these can be wound on 
a small light winch, but it is necessary to be on the sharp look-out for kinks, which are 
of far greater importance than in temperate climates. The use of steel rope involves the 
use of snatch-blocks and tripods. A single winch secured to a sledge is sufficient for 
any number of holes, also a single snatch-block. The tripod should be frozen in over 
each hole, the rest is a mere matter of management. Another very important tool of 
which we were quite deficient is an ice saw, some 3 or 4 feet long, with a wooden 
handle, to be worked by one man. For keeping the holes open and for negotiating 
eracks these would be invaluable. Our smallest ice saw was 13 feet long, and 
useless for biological purposes without a number of men. 
‘ 
The lines were very frequently “ stranded,” though never cut through, presumably 
by the seals coming in contact with them and snapping at them as they passed ; there 
did not appear to be any other reason for this. The lines had then to be cut through 
and knotted. Although the line was always hauled over a bar, usually the pricker, 
it was—especially in the deeper water—deflected by the current and, cutting into the 
ice, hitched up at every one of the knots, which before long were numerous. This 
rendered hauling the traps single-handed rather a difficult matter, but the lines stood 
the strain well; it was only when completely frozen that they snapped. ‘The traps 
used were at first wooden frames two feet square at the base, covered with mosquito 
netting, after the fashion of a lobster-pot. As the ice increased in thickness these 
rigid traps became difficult to negotiate through the holes, and moreover supplies were 
not inexhaustible. The ordinary tow-net, tied up at one end and baited, was much 
more convenient and quite as effective. Swabs attached to the traps were always 
used and very satisfactory. 
Dredging in some form was always carried on inside the 25-fathom line, but 
beyond this depth stationary traps only could be used. However, in deep water 
(125 fathoms) the trap or D-net was frequently sent down light and very slowly, so 
as to be carried by the current as much as possible from the vertical. Then one or 
two 25-lb. sinkers were sent down and the net hauled. Sometimes this was very 
successful, sometimes it was not. The captures were brought to the ship either in 
glass bottles or in a large tin-lined packing-case previously made water-tight. In the 
winter of course everything froze at once and had to be thawed out on board ship. 
In the summer the specimens were hardly so well off, for, although they did not freeze, 
VOL, III. Cc 
