A HAUL WITH THE DRAG. 59 



" dredge the deep sea under" in Weymouth Bay, as 

 one who knows what is worth getting, and where 

 to get it. 



Well, here we are in the bight, just off the mouth of 

 Preston Valley, the only hit of pretty scenery any 

 where near. This however is a little gem ; a verdant 

 dell opening to the sea, through which a streamlet 

 runs, with the sides and bottom covered with woods, 

 a rare feature in this neighbourhood. We are over 

 the zostera ; the beds of dark-green grass are waving 

 in the heave of the swell, and we can make out the 

 long and narrow blades by closly looking down 

 beneath the shadow of the boat. Here then is the 

 place for the keer-drag. Down it goes, and sinks into 

 the long grass, while we slowly drag it for a couple of 

 hundred yards or so. 



When disposed to try our luck we hauled on the 

 rope, till we brought the mouth of the drag to the 

 top of the water; a turn or hiteh was then taken 

 round a belaying pin with the two side-lines of the 

 bridle, and the point of the net only was then hauled 

 on board, put into a pan of water, and untied. Here 

 was congregated the chief part of the prey taken, and 

 hence the need of having the meshes so small in this 

 part. Out swam in a moment a good many little 

 fishes that haunt the grass-bed ; as Pipe-fishes fSyn- 

 gnathus) of several species. Gobies fGohius unipunc- 

 tatus, G. Ruthersparri, &cj and bright-hued Con- 

 ners (Labrus and iJrenilahrm ) . With these were 

 two or three active and charming Cuttles (Sepiola); 

 and clinging to the meshes of the net in various parts, 

 were several species of Nudibranch Mollusca, crea- 



