_.) 



NARRATIVE. 



Botryllus sp. and Leptoclinunt sp. ; 



Small olive-green Wrasse with white tail (Pomacenirus bankanensis). 



STATION VII. Further out, from G to 7 miles off shore; depth 45-50 fathoms; 

 dredged. 



Large masses of coral overgrown with Chama foliata ; Chromodoms sp. ; 



Squilla (small many in cavities of the coral) ; 



Sabella sp., Eunice sp., Lepidonotus acantholepis and HarmotJioc imbricata, all 

 evidently associated with the coral. 



STATION VIII Still further out. 71 to Si miles off shore : depth 90-100 fathoms ; 

 dredged. 



Gorgonia miniacea, Juncella juncea, Antipctthes sp. (black, fan-shaped), Cyatho- 

 helia (!) and another allied form ; 



Galaihea sp. (scarlet), Lambrus sp., Arcania sp. and other crabs ; 



Some species of Nassa and Murex and some small Octopods. 



We now steamed further north to the region of the great Cheval paars, lying off 

 the bight of Kondatchy, and started dredging at 8 A.M. on Tuesday, February 4th, 

 along the southern edge of the West Cheval Paar. My object was, after seeing the 

 condition of the ground on the Cheval Paar, to make a line of dredgings across the 

 Cheval and the region outside it to the Periya Paar. 



STATION IX. On south-west corner of West Cheval Paar, about 12 miles from 

 land ; depth 7 fathoms ; bottom fine quartz gravel, nullipore concretions, and 

 many dead young pearl oyster shells ; temperature of sea, 78 F., specific 

 gravity, 1'023 ; dredged. 



Axinella lubulata, Clathria indica (on oyster shells); 



ftertularia distans and other Hydroids ; 



Actinometra jmrvicirra and another species, Pentaceros linchi, Clypeasler humilis, 

 Iloloth uria tenuissima ; 



Physcosoma scolops (in Axinella tubulata, with commensal tubicolous Oligochastes), 

 Serpida actinoceros, Armandia sp. ; 



Pearl oysters, along with " Suran" and " Oorie " ; 



Branehiostoma belcheri (several). 



In this haul young pearl oysters about ^ inch to 1 inch in size were obtained 

 in quantity, but the majority were dead ; of 200 picked up at random only 20 were 

 living. A large number of small boring Gastropods (belonging to the genera 

 Purpura, Nassa, Sistrum, &c, and known collectively to the natives as "Oorie") 

 were present. They ranged from inch to J inch long and were very active, and 

 no doubt contribute to the mortality of the oysters. There were also present 

 considerable numbers of the small mussel, Modioli barbata, known to the natives as 



E 



