NARRATIVE. 83 



(Saurus indicus, S. myops and Saurida tumbil), all of silvery aspect. The trawl also 

 contained 6 sea-snakes, 2 small Octopods [Polypus granulatus and another species), 

 and 6 or 7 very fine prawns (Penmis sp. ). 



On March 15th we lay at anchor off Jaffna, taking in supplies and arranging for 

 Sir William Twynam to join our party. At 8 a.m. the sea-temperature was 82 - 8 F. 

 and the specific gravity 1'021 ; at 8 p.m. hoth readings were the same. 



On March 16th we trawled in the northern part of Palk Bay, down the broad 

 passage between the islands from Mandativo to Delft Island at depths increasing 

 gradually from 4^ fathoms outwards to 8. About 12 miles were covered in 3 hauls, 

 the first southwards from off Mandativo towards Kakerativo ; the second frorn east to 

 west about 2 miles north of Kakerativo, depth 7 fathoms ; and the third half-way 

 between Kakerativo and Delft Island, depth 8 fathoms. The last haul was on the 

 mud with concretions, as at Station XVIII. (March 14th), but the two previous ones 

 were on sand and shells with some living Coral. I consider all this day's work as 

 being one locality (see fig. 22). 



STATION XIX. In north part of Palk Bay, east of Delft Island ; depth 4| to 

 8 fathoms ; bottom sand and shells to mud ; sea-temperature, 7 A.M. off Mandativo 

 Island 82-8 F., 5 p.m. off Jaffna 84 F., specific gravity in both localities 1-020 ; 

 3 hauls of the large shrimp-trawl. 



Various sponges ; 



Medusa? [Nausithoe, &c), Turbinaria cinerascens and other Corals; 



Some Amphipods, Erichthus, Phyllosoma, Prawns and Crabs ; 



Area tortuosa, A. compacta, A. tetragona (?), A. virescens (?), Mytilus barbatus, 

 Cerithkim citrinum, Mitra pyramid alis (?) and other shells, and Octopods [Polypus) ; 



A number of Polyzoa belonging to the genera, Bugula, Cellepora, Lepvalia, 

 Schizoporella, Smittia and Crisia ; 



Leptoclinum (2 species), Khabdocynthia sp., Rhodosoma sp., Polycarpa sp., and 

 Salpa runcinata-fusifurmis (large, many) ; 



Small Sole (Solea ocidus). 



On the way back to Jaffna to pick up Sir William Twynam, we anchored for a 

 couple of hours on the edge of the large shoal lying south and east of the Island of 

 Punkudutivo (marked on the chart " Pearl beds ") and went off in the boat to examine 

 the coral reef and see if any trace could be found of the pearl-oysters said to have 

 formerly existed there. We expected from the chart to have to row for at least a 

 mile before coming to the reef, but in a couple of hundred yards progress was 

 stopped by coral growing to within a foot or so of the surface, and on trying 

 several other passages inwards to the land all were found blocked by luxuriant coral 

 growth. We had then to leave the boat and wade over the coral plateau on 

 the tops of enormous branched Madrepores and other flattened expanded colonies (the 

 largest I saw anywhere round Ceylon) which crushed and snapped under one's weight 



M 2 



