117 
NOTES of a VISIT to MADEIRA and the CANARY 
ISLANDS. 
By Isaac C. Tuompson, F.L.S., F.R.M.S. 
[Read 14th January, 1888.] 
Durine the spring of the year just expired, in company 
with my friend Mr. W. S. McMillan, F.L.8., I visited 
Madeira and the Canary Islands, with the object of 
examining and collecting specimens of their marine fauna. 
We were provided with dredge, tow-nets, microscope, and 
all the necessary apparatus and material for preserving 
the specimens obtained. We took passage in the ill-fated 
“ Senegal,’ a steamer belonging to the British and African 
Mail Steamship Company, afterwards wrecked and plun- 
dered by the natives on the African coast on the return 
voyage. There being no ladies on board, we were fortunate 
in securing the ladies’ cabin, with a good table and room 
to work with the microscope, wind and weather permitting. 
Steaming at ten miles an hour over the prolific waters, 
how were its minute living denizens to be captured? 
Our genial commander, Captain Brown, thought more of 
his duty to the mails than to biological science, and did 
not appreciate the idea of allowing the engines a few 
minutes’ pause in mid-ocean. We constructed a long, 
narrow, strong canvas bag, weighted, and with a bottle 
secured round the neck at lower end, and threw it over ; 
but after a short pull it was found that everything was 
washed out as fast as it went in, so that had to be aban- 
doned. On the fourth day out, however, the funeral of a 
poor fireman necessitated a pause of a few minutes, during 
which we were able to throw over our “‘Challenger’’ tow- 
