NAREATIVE. 75 



Pearl oysters (a few old and young), and Avicula vexillum ; 



Ascidia-like Clavelinid, Branchiostoma lanceolatum, var. belcheri (several). 



A tow-netting taken below the surface, at 6 to 10 fathoms, gave amongst other 

 things a large new Ostracod, a new species of Centropages, Mecynocera clausi, 

 Metacalanus aurivillii, Oithona plumifera, Clausocalanus furcatus, and Pseudo- 

 diaptomus serricaudatus over 20 species of Copepoda. 



On March 10th, at 7 a.m., south of Cheval, the sea-temperature was 79'8 F. ; on 

 the 11th, at 6.30 a.m., off north end of Karativo Island, it was 80 F., and at 6 p.m., 

 on Periya Paar, it was 81'1 F., the specific gravity as usual being about 1'023. 



On March 11th, we continued dredging amongst the smaller paars to the south ot 

 the Cheval district and lying outside Karativo Island. The 9 hauls may be grouped 

 in two sets, as follows : 



STATION LIX. On and around Donnan's Muttuvaratu Paar ; in shallow water, 

 6^ to 9 fathoms ; bottom Nullipore and dead Coral fragments ; 5 hauls of dredge. 



Tetractinellids, and other sponges ; 



Madrepora (spp.) and other living Corals, Sarcophytum sp. and Sclerophytum 

 densum ; 



Clypeaster (young), Culdta schmideliana ; 



Palmyra aurifera, Stylarioides parmatus, Lepidonotus carinulatus, Eunice 

 teretiuscula, Ammochares sp., Sabella pJueotcenia, Elsia indica ; 



An Ascomyzontid Copepod which will require a new genus ; 



Pearl oysters, Doris sp. , Casella sp. , and a number of small Octopods. 



STATION LX. Outside Donnan's Paar ; in deeper water, 20 to 30 fathoms ; bottom 

 Orbitolites sand, a little Nullipore and dead Coral ; 4 hauls of dredge. 



Orbitolites compkmatus, and other Foraminifera ; 



Raspailia thurstoni, and other sponges ; 



Pennatulids, Umbellula and other Alcyonaria, Sphenopus marsupialis, and some 

 living Corals, Antipatharia ; 



Phyllacanthus baculosa, Astropecten poly acanthus, Culcita schmideliana, Nardoa 

 tuberculata, Ophiocoma scolopendrina, Cucumaria tricolor ; 



Various Molluscan shells (undetermined) and some Nudibranchs (Doriojisis). 



A Tow-netting taken at the same time gave : Amongst 28 species of Copepoda, 

 Pontella securifer, Calocalanus pavo, Oithona plumifera and Candacia ethiopica. 



We now returned, northwards, to the Periya Paar in order to investigate its 

 condition more thoroughly, as it was evidently the deepest and furthest seawards of 

 the paars where oysters in any quantity were to be found. It was also by far the 

 most extensive area covered with young oysters, and yet its past history has shown 

 that it cannot be relied upon to yield fisheries. Again and again it has been reported 

 as covered with young oysters, again and again they have all disappeared. 



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