A DREDGING EXCURSION OFF GUERNSEY. 



BY MR. R. L. SPENCER. 



To a naturalist the sea presents a very different aspect than 

 to an ordinary uninterested individual. To the naturalist it 

 is a friend — a companion — presenting itself in everchanging 

 shapes, and furnishing an infinity of lessons and amusements ; 

 and in order to enjoy ourselves for a short time I propose we 

 go for a little dredging. The tools we require are a dredge 

 made specially for picking up minute objects, a line of 

 ordinary strength, a pair of forceps for detaching small speci- 

 mens from stones so as to avoid handling, two or three 

 open-mouthed bottles, and a small box or basket. 



Now we are all aboard and under sail, say from the 

 Harbour across almost to the Ferriere rocks, we put over the 

 dredge, paying out some twenty-five fathoms of rope ; and as 

 the wind, tide and circumstances in our case are made to 

 order, everything goes favourably, no one is qualmish, but 

 all are enjoying the summer breeze and the view of the 

 Islands. We are close to Jethou, behind which lies Herm, 

 and midway between Sark and Guernsey. We stand on our 

 tack say for half an hour, then haul up the dredge, emptying 

 the contents on to the floor of the boat, over which a piece of 

 canvas has been put so as to prevent small creatures going 

 through the chinks of the bottom boards. The dredge is 

 emptied, and if we are not too far south over it goes again for 

 a fresh batch. As soon as the rope is clear all hands are busy 

 looking up the spoil ; all creeping things small go at once 

 into the basket for future identification. Zoophytes and 

 tender articles are stowed carefully in our box, whilst soft- 

 bodied animals are quickly popped into the bottle. I see we 

 have a brittle star ; he is a splendid subject, if you can get 

 him Avhole — and we have a bottle specially prepared for him, 

 a bottle of sea water in which a little chloral has been put 

 with the charitable idea of sending him to sleep very quietly. 



