rope, for a naturalist feels asTKeen a delight in the 

 steady tremulous motion of the dredge scraping over 

 a good bottom, as does the angler iu the. tug "of the 

 salmon at his sjender line; his thoughtful brow shows 

 that he is estimating the number of rare opliiumns or 

 pectoris it will soon bring to light; all at once there is a 

 jerk, the safety check-stop snaps asunder, the alert seamen 

 cast loose the line, Mr. Cook pulls the bell and we are 

 steaming towards the dredge, which has caught on a 

 rock; two whistles, "up dredge!" "up dredgel" echoes 

 the quartermaster and then the donkey snorts and puffs 

 and scatters steam spray and the dre'dge-line is reeled 

 up, while the seamen coil away the slack. Soon the 

 iron arms and gaping jaws of the dredge come to the 

 surface while all stand on and over the rail, eager for 

 afirst glance at the mysterious treasure within the can- 

 vas; the davit is swung around, a mass of broken shells 

 and sand is dumped into a large eradle-sieve which 

 hangs over the side; a long hose appears at the engine 

 room door, unrolls as it comes forward and goon a 



imm $mm of wjter if playieg into t&$2 iIiy^ mm-! 



ing out the sand and mud and uncovering countless 

 treasures of animal life. The sieve is now hidden from 

 sight by a knot of heads from which issue exclamations 

 of surprise and delight. Now it is a superb specimen 

 of the beautiful little coral, Astrangia Danae, 

 the most northern of its kind, now it is 

 the sight of the northern and southern sea-urchins, Ar- 

 bacia punctulata and Strongylocentrotus Droebacldensis 

 both in the same haul, now it is a half-bushel, or more 

 of a bright yellow sponge, Cliona sulphurea, which one 

 of the party seems to think wou d set him up for life, 

 "if he feLuld only keep them alive;" one of the party is 

 in ecstacy over a little spray of crimson sea-weed Ptilota 

 serrata, " the first time it ever was seen south of Cape 

 Cod," though we used to dredge it by the bog-full on 

 the coast of Maine; another rushes off with one of those 

 curious little black objects known as "mermaids' 

 purses," or " devil's knitting sheaths," and with a pair 

 of scissors, liberates, from his ovine piison, a lively 

 little skate, Rata eglanteria, an inch in length. And so 

 it goes on; sometimes one hundred and thirty species 

 are brought. up in a single haul. The living animals are 

 placed in buckets of water, to be studied on our return, 

 then a large table is fitted across the deck, a tarpaulin 

 table-cloth is spread, the remainder of the haul is 

 thrown upon it, and all gather around with a prompt- 

 ness which reminds one of the city newsboys at their 

 annual ' Thanksgiving dinner. One member, with 

 pencil and note book, takes a catalogue of the species 

 captured; the othejs, with forceps and fingers, soon 

 transfer the specimens to their bottles and pails. Even 

 the seamen catch the fever, and wander anxiously about 

 with some poor crushed creature in their fists, inquiring 

 "is this a specimen?" 



Sandy bottom is good for trawling; the jtrawl net has 

 been lowered and is dragging the ocean floor, while the 

 ship slowly backs along. Dinner is announced and all 

 soon meet in the cabin. A good chowder, " a la Blue- 

 light," is always the first course, and the party do full 



