Page:The American Boy's Handy Book edition 1.djvu/125

casting and hauling of the dredge. It is as necessary that the boat be carefully managed as it is that at least one person's undivided attention be given to handling the dredge. The dredging rope should be about twice as long as the water is deep. A wooden reel or windlass attached to one side of the boat near the stern will be of very great assistance, especially when the net comes up filled with mud or heavy stones, as it frequently does; in which case, if there be but one boy to attend to it he will find it no light task to pull in the line hand over hand.

A piece of old oilcloth or tarpaulin will answer to dump the contents of the dredge upon, although a large wooden tray, or "picking-over board," as it is called, is much better. A small board of the kind intended for a row-boat is shown in the illustration at the head of this chapter.

Common glass preserve jars, or wide-mouthed bottles, make excellent receptacles for living specimens. A convenient rack for carrying these easily and safely may be made from any wooden box, by nailing laths or slats across the top from end to end and side to side, making the squares thus formed just large enough to hold the jars or bottles in an upright position.

The sail boat is best for long excursions, but for a short trip a row-boat is preferable, it being more readily handled and independent of the wind.

Although a dredge without tangles will bring up many curious and interesting objects, the specimens are apt to be confined to the mollusca or shell-fish, mixed, of course, with all manner of rubbish.

If properly managed, the pouch, when it reaches the surface, will be about half full. After it has been emptied upon the "picking-over" board, the mud and sand may be washed away by pouring water over the mass. Although not absolutely necessary, a large sieve is a desirable addition to the dredger's outfit, and furnishes valuable assistance when the mud or sand is to be