20 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



coral-like Polyzoa. Mr. H. E. Hurrell, a well-kuown student of 

 pond-life, who was " fishing " with me at the time, identified 

 the specimens as marine Polyzoa, Membrianfora monostachys 

 (var. forsana). This was attached to the lower portion of a 

 plant which grows rankly in the brackish ditches bordering on 

 the River Bure and Breydon walls. "It is a beautiful species," 

 Mr. Hurrell wrote me later, " and on account of the conditions 

 under which they were growing formed their colonies in lines of 

 two and three cells abreast. In some cases the polypidoms 

 intertwined, and the animals when axcerted gave the appearance 

 of a living chevaux defrise. This polyzoon is closely allied to 

 the sea-mats, and is somewhat rare, but has been found inter- 

 mittently in the vicinity of Great Yarmouth for the past forty 

 years. It is no doubt a pretty constant species, but has lacked 

 observers." From one of these ditches a few years since I 

 obtained Sticklebacks infested with Ther sites gastcrostciis, a 

 parasite which I believe to be by no means common in any 

 other part of this country. 



One of my most enjoyable excursions "happened" on 

 Aug. 2nd, when, in company with two kindred souls, the marsh 

 ditches lying over to the westward of the Waveney, beyond 

 Burgh Castle, were "lamb-netted." A lamb-net is very like a 

 quarter section of an orange, a flat base lying on the ditch 

 bottom, the other part of the net being hooped at half a right 

 angle. There is a sloping flange below, so that any eels that may 

 be frightened in are prevented getting out again, as they never 

 think to lift their heads, but viciously poke into the sloping wall 

 of net, which is but a few inches deep. One holds the net firm 

 by means of a long pole that is looped on to the " beam " below. 

 The hardest work mostly fell to myself — that of "plounsing" or 

 beating the water by a quick and forceful plunge of the end on 

 which a sphere of wood is fastened. Advancing and " plounsing" 

 6adly disturb the half-dormant Eels, and, fleeing before it, into 

 the net they go. Whoever held the net could feel the contact, and 

 would constantly shout, " Here's another! " "There's a big one 

 in!" &c. We captured most of our Eels near the sluice-ends 

 of the ditches which abutted on the river, the "sluice-gates" 

 being opened as water needs to be let out, or when a drought 

 obtains, to be let in, in order to refreshen the marshes. It is by 



