The treasury of natural history, or, A popular dictionary of zoology / by Samuel Maunder.

  • Maunder, Samuel, 1785-1849.
Date:
1870
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The treasury of natural history, or, A popular dictionary of zoology / by Samuel Maunder. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    819/856 (page 797)
    and these two plates are joined at their lower extremities, by means of two cross- bars, C C and D I), so as to form an angle of about 45° with the plane of this position ; each bar is f» inches in length, by three-and- a-halt'-eighths in diameter. The arms E F and E F are each 16 inches in length, by 3$ inches in diameter, and play upon the cross bars by means of double swivel joints, as seen at E E and E E. Their anterior ex- tremities at F are beaten fiat, so as to meet closely, and vertically, and are pierced for the reception of the bolt H, which at the same time posses through the extremities of what may be termed the birdie ring G, to which the rope is affixed. The head of bolt II is pierced to receive the end of n little iron spike, for the better working of the screw ; and at any time, by drawing the said bolt II and folding the arms inwards, the whole apparatus may be stowed away in a moderate-sized carpet bag ; for its weight will not exceed 7 or 8 lbs., and the cost is only 78. In no case should the bag exceed 18 inches in depth ; one may be made of best twine, with meshes half an inch apart, and another of cheese cloth, or serge, for fine work. A raw hide, such as has been im- ported as a wrapper for bales of tobacco, or tallow, and which may be purchased in London for Is. 6c/., will make three bags of a most durable and efficient description, and they should have holes a quarter of an inch in diameter, cut with a punch, or simply stabbed with a knife, to facilitate the dis- charge of the water ; and to save the trouble of canting the bag after it is drawn up from the water, there should be a slit five inches in length cut in the bottom, and laced with a thong. The strength of the rope required for Ball’s Dredge must be regulated entirely the depth at which it is employed ; iii — caied a 14 lb. weight should be attached to the rope six inches distant from the dredge. Two or three moderate-sized sieves arc required for sifting mud arid sand; the height of the sieves may be 4 or r, inches, and the meshes of their copper or brass wire bottoms should be one-tenth of an inch upart ; by attaching three strings which are held in the hand, the more valuable contents of the sieve arc readily exposed by repeated dippings in the water. Collecting. — Our land shells may be I taken in the greatest abundance during moist 1 weather, or at morning or evening, creeping j about pathways and old walls, in gardens, ! fields, woods, and heaths. Many species are ! taken by a careful search below stones and I the bark of trees, amongst moss, and on va- rious plants, by means of the sweeping-net; whilst the tin spoou and water-net readily procure those which frequent streams and ponds : but lakes must be searched either with the Gangui or with the Dredge. For the marine species, the sea-shore should always be searched after a storm ; shell sand, and the roots of tangle and other marine plants, yield many peculiar species, and so do the rocks laid dry at the recess of every tide, and on some parts of the coust the curious Pholades which burrow into ’•ocks are pretty common, whilst the sandy shores also yield their peculiar spe- cies. A dimple in the sand points out the situation of the Solen or Spout-shell, and two little apertures that of the Tellinte. Many fine species may be procured from the stomachs of fish brought to market, from the nets, lines, and traps of fishermen ; but the dredge is the grand implement, which should be iii the hands of every sea-coast naturalist. Having arrived at the fishing ground, ascer- tain the depth of the water, and the nature of the bottom, wi th a sounding lead ; register these data, which are of the greatest im- portance, in a pocket journal ; drop the dredge overboard, allowing one third more line than the ascertained depth, and drag the dredge along by sailing or rowing ; when full jet it be dragged into the boat. Let the Nudibranehiate Mollusea, llolothuriu;, and other soft unimals, demand your first atten- tion ; make a sketch of all rare and curious forms, uud wrap each specimen in a piece of tinfoil, before putting it into a bottle of alcohol, or Goadby’s solution, or into a bottle of sea-water, if you desire to study their habits to advantage. The remainder of the contents are thrown into a tub, and the dredge lowered whilst they are being sorted. Presicuvino.—The animals in shells must be killed by immersion in hot water; ns univalve shells are apt to craek under such treatment, the heat must be gradually in- creased by adding more hot water : when the. animal of a bivalve is dead, the valves of the shell separate a little. The animal when dead is removed with the point of a knife, or crooked pin. The operculum where it exists is wrapt in paper and putin the mouth of the shell, which is then laid on a towel to dry in the sun, and a thread is wrapt round the bivalves to keep them closed till drv ; but previous to this, all marine shells should have a bath in fresh water, for several hours, to extract the saline particles, which would otherwise greatly injure the specimens. All extraneous bodies, such as sea-weed, Scrpuluj and Acorn shells, must be removed with the 1 point of the knife, or with a hard brush and water : all shells, but especially such as have been picked up along shore, have their ap- I