84 CEYLON PEARL OYSTER REPORT. 



and occasionally gave way altogether, letting one down into a hole with much 

 laceration of skin on legs and arms. No traces of pearl oysters were seen, but possibly 

 we were not able to get far enough inshore. On returning to the ship we found she 

 had shifted her position, as on swinging round to her anchor in what according to the 

 chart was 3 fathoms of water, she hit the rudder against the edge of a mass of 

 growing coral reaching to within a couple of feet of the surface. The officers, from 

 the deck, had fished up several large pieces of colonies for me with boat-hooks. 

 It is evident that the coral reef is extending rapidly at this spot. It must not be 

 supposed that a coral reef once it is surveyed remains stationary. Under some 

 conditions it may become reduced in size, and under others it may show rapid 

 growth both horizontally and vertically. The most abundant forms we obtained 

 were : Madrepora cervicorms and several other allied species, PociIlopor<t grandis 

 and P. ccBspitosa, Pontes pcdmata, several species of Montipora, and various 

 Astrreids. 



On March 17th in Pamban Pass at 7 a.m., the sea-temperature was 82 F., and 

 the specific gravity 1'020G ; at G P.M., on Kallatidel Paar, the temperature was 

 827 F. aad the specific gravity V023. After rejoining Captain Donnan and the 

 inspection boats in the South Cheval district, we took 4 hauls of the dredge between 

 the South Modragam Paar and Kodramallai Point. These may be united as : 



STATION LXIV. From between South Modragam and Jaggerboom paars along a 

 line south-east towards Kodramallai Point ; depth Ah to 5^ fathoms ; bottom 

 coarse sand, with much fine green-weed and small pearl oysters. 



Some Renierid sponges ; 



Lytu.carpus (( n. sp.), Carnpanularia juncea, Fungia dentata (many), large 

 solitary Corals, and some Pennatulids ; 



Echinasier purpureus, Pentaceros lincki and P. nodosus, and many Ophiuroids ; 



Chloda sp., Ilarmothoe imbiicata ; 



Many Amphipoda including a new species of Lambos, Lysianassa (? n. sp.) and a 

 remarkable new species of Leptochelia with immense chelas considerably longer than 

 the body ; 



Craspedochiton laqueafois, Margaritifera vulgaris (many small), Turbinella rapa 

 (large), Pleurotoma cremdata, Nassa reticosa, Pteroccras sp., Vertagus uluco, 

 Vermctus sp., Lamellctria sp., TJolabcUa sp., Aplustrum (hahtssiarc/ti. 



The fine green-weed from the bottom had very young spat of pearl oysters on it. 

 The small oysters dredged were about 8 or 9 months old, and were in quantity at 

 about 3^ miles off Kodramallai Point. A tow-netting on March 17th gave us a new 

 species of Centropages with a prominent dorsal spine. 



On March 18th the sea-temperature on Kallatidel Paar, at 7 A.M., was 82 - 2 F., 

 and on Cheval Paar, at 6 P.M., was 827 F. 



In the morning I visited Aripu Coral Peef in one of the boats, and waded over 



