THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 99

In the Auckland Naval Artillery and Naval
Volunteers.

Augustus George Merritt, M.D., to be Assistant
Surgeon. Date of commission, 4th February,
1868.

T. M. HAULTAIN.

Colonial Defence Office,
Wellington, 19th February, 1868.

HIS Excellency the Governor has been pleased to
accept the services of the undermentioned
Corps, viz. :-

The Christchurch Artillery Volunteers. Date of
acceptance, 31st December, 1867.
The Auckland Naval Artillery Volunteers. Date of
acceptance, 16th January, 1868.
The Waikouaiti Rifle Volunteers. Date of accept-
ance, 18th January, 1868.

T. M. HAULTAIN.

INSTRUCTIONS for collecting Marine Animals
on the New Zealand Coast. The following
apparatus is required:-

1. Large dredge.
2. Small dredge.
3. Cradle and sieves.
4. One hundred fathoms of Manilla 3½.
5. Two hundred and sixty fathoms of Manilla
   whale line.
6. Bullock chain.
7. Jars and bottles in cases.
8. Methylated spirit.
   *9 Goadby salt, I. and II., in 2lbs. packets.
9. Gauze muslin.
10. Tin foil.
11. Fishing lines.
12. Tow net.
13. Trawl.

First: Dredging with large dredge. If less than 20
fathoms water, attach the Manilla line (No. 4) to
the large dredge. From 20 to 50 fathoms make the
bullock chain fast to the dredge, and the line to the
chain as extra weight is required. Let go from on
board the steamer, or sailing vessel, on the weather
side and make fast by a turn round a belaying pin so
as to regulate the strain by slacking away according
to the nature of the bottom. Length of line to be
paid out is about double the depth of the water. If
the dredge fouls, pay out, bring the vessel round,
and capsize it by a back strain. By keeping the
hand on the line it is easily felt whether the dredge
is "biting" well.

Second: When the dredge feels heavy and strains
the rope, pass the rope on a "hatch block" and heave
up. Place the cradle opposite a scupper so that the
water may run away freely. Bring the dredge over
the hopper of the cradle, and by draining the thongs
in the bottom of the dredge, let the contents gradually
fall on the hopper; wash as in ordinary gold washing,
picking out by hand any good specimens that are
seen on the upper sieve. A few minutes is sufficient
to empty the dredge, which is then put over for
another cast.

Third: Sorting the specimens. The cradle does
this so far as size is concerned, into four classes :--

(a) Large shells, star fish, crabs, sea urchins and
the like, on the first or 1¼ inch bars.
(b) Smaller shells, worms, sea mice, &c., on the
½ inch sieve.
(c) Small shells on the wire comb.

• Solution No. I.--Bay salt, 5 oz.; alum, 3 oz.; corrosive
  sublimate, 3 grs. Solution No. II.--Bay salt, 8 oz.; arsenic,
  20 grs.; corrosive sublimate, 2 grs. For use, dissolve in
  boiling water ½ lb. to a quart, and allow to cool.

(d) The fine silt on the ripple bars will generally
be full of microscopic shells.

Have a case of jars close by the cradle, partly filled
with Goadby's solutions and partly with spirits.
Select all shells from which the animal can be ex-
tracted by boiling for a few minutes, and put them
in a calico bag marked with the number of the cast,
which is entered on the "return." Put them aside
for boiling and sorting after the dredging is over.
When the animal has been extracted, tie them up
and pack them carefully, preserving the loose
opercula.

N.B. The same distinguishing number is to be
retained for all specimens and dredgings from
the same locality, so long as the depth or
nature of the bottom does not alter.

Select all crabs, first rinsing them in fresh water,
place them in a jar containing Goadby's solution,
No. 2.

Starfishes in the same way to be placed in a differ-
ent jar. Small sea urchins ditto.

N.B. As a rule all hard shelled animals go in
Solution No. 2, and soft bodied or horny
shelled animals in No. 1.

Squids, worms, sea mice, &c., may be placed
together in a jar of Solution No. 1. Any delicate,
rare, or beautiful specimen, and one or two of each
thing brought up, should be put in a bottle with
spirit, to ensure their perfect preservation, besides
those in the cheaper solution. All corals, corallines,
zoophites, are to be put in weak spirit.

Fish (if any small ones are got in the dredge, as is
frequently the case) are to be wrapped in gauze,
with a number marked on tin foil, and put in the fish
keg, with specimens of the fish caught by lines and
otherwise. (See fish keg.)

Lastly, a sample of the mud from the ripple bars
is to be tied up hard in a piece of calico, dried,
numbered, and put past. All the jars used at the
same time should have the same number, but if any
are not full, by placing a piece of gauze in to separate
the contents and using tin foil tickets, they may be
filled up with other dredgings. When the sorting is
over, wash down the cradle before introducing a
fresh dredging.

Second: Small Dredge. This is to be used from a
row boat, in places where the large vessel cannot
work; the whale line is to be used for it, and the
contents of the dredge may be washed over the side
of the boat in the No. 1 sieve, by hand, without the
cradle, or the cradle may be placed athwart the boat.
In deeper water than 50 fathoms, the small dredge
and line will be found sufficient to work from the
large vessel. The deeper the dredging, the more
interesting the results. From deep dredging always
preserve samples of the whole bottom as it comes up.

Third: Tow Net. In fine weather a cheese cloth
bag, distended by a hoop, is to be towed behind the
vessel, and the contents (which are small jelly fish
and the like) are to be transferred to a bottle of spirit.
All specimens from about the same part of the coast
may be put together. Fishes caught either in the
dredge, by lines, or in the trawl, are to be plunged
into solution No. 1, in an open pickle keg. This at
once kills them without injury. They are then to
be wrapped in gauze, with a number on tin foil, and
replaced in the keg. After soaking a few days they
must be transferred to a small keg or jar of fresh
solution, in which it is better to pack them pretty
tightly, using clean tow for filling up. Large fish
must, of course, be skinned or otherwise preserved.
Six specimens of each kind of fish met with should,
if possible, be obtained.

In dissolving the Goadby Salts for use, the pro-