PELAGIC FAUNA. 51 



many of them ripe. So plentiful were many of the smaller 

 Hydromedusae that occasionally they were beached on the 

 sands. Cyanea and other types reached the surface. 



The Infusorians were especially numerous at the surface on 

 fine days, and during the still warm evenings, forming a thick 

 phosphorescent coating (Ceratium) to the tow-nets, and spark- 

 ling with every stroke of the oars. It is well known that even 

 these (e.g. Peridinium) are found in masses in the intestine of 

 the sardine. 



The algoid contents of the nets sensibly increased in July, 

 probably from the profusion of spores and rapid general growth, 

 and they were abundant offshore as well as inshore. 



Altogether the enormous variety in pelagic life both plant 

 and animal constituted a conspicuous feature in July. 



August. During August the number of floating eggs had 

 considerably diminished, those of the gurnard, rockling and 

 sprat being most conspicuous along with a few of the sole, 

 turbot, and lemon-dab. The midwater-net inshore also showed 

 a diminution of the post-larval round fishes, though taking 

 the offshore and inshore together, a considerable number of 

 small forms were still present. Two sizes of clupeoids, viz. 5 '5 

 to 8 mm. and 16 to 18 mm. were yet obtained. There were 

 also families of gurnards ranging from 5 to 10 mm., sand-eels at 

 9 mm., rocklings in great variety at the surface from 4 mm. to 

 silvery mackerel-midges of an inch or more in length : besides 

 young whitings at li in., Montagu's suckers, gunnels, skulpins, 

 lumpsuckers from 6 mm., gobies, pipe-fishes and pleuronectids 

 (flounders, etc.) from 7 to 11 '5mm. Perhaps the most frequent 

 round fishes in the nets were gobies. 



Small appendicularians were not unfrequent during the 

 whole month; while the larval form of Phoronis (Actinotrocha) 

 was a special feature, the transformation of the one into the 

 other being followed with ease. 



Swarms of young mussels and other bivalves were present 

 in both surface- and bottom-nets ; while Spirialis, Natica and 

 others in the veliger-stage represented the univalves. Occa- 

 sionally a young cuttlefish was likewise captured. Molluscan 

 life indeed was plentiful. 



42 



