120 
LETTERS FROM 
frey, to which it is certainly very nearly 
allied, but I have since been informed that it 
is the cerintlie aspera. It is an exceedingly 
beautiful plant, and preserves its colour and 
character very well when dry. 
I believe you did not see the net which I 
brought out for the purpose of collecting 
shells. It is on the same principle as an 
oyster dredge, but it is smaller, and con¬ 
sists of a sharp iron scraper, to which is 
attached a bag made of strong net-work. It 
is let down to the bottom from a boat, and 
as it is dragged slowly along, the shells or 
other small things lying in its way are 
scraped up and transferred to the net, where 
they remain till the apparatus is hauled up 
into the boat again. I had hoped to have 
procured a great many shells in this man¬ 
ner, but I am sorry to say that we have met 
with very little success, though we have 
