NARRATIVE. 27 



STATION XIV. About 2 miles west of West Cheval Paar; depth 8 fathoms; 

 bottom sand with many young and a few old pearl oysters; dredged. 



Astropecten hemprichii, Linckia laevigata, Echinaster purpureus, Clypeaster humilis; 



CJdceia ceylonica, Serpula actinoceros, S. quadricornis, Ophelia sp. ; 



Margaritifera vulgaris (in quantity) and Natica sp. 



Leptoclinum sp. (green). 



In this haul three dozen large and about 15,000 healthy young pearl oysters were 

 taken. The young were placed in batches in our deck tanks and kept under 

 observation. 



STATION XV. On Periya Paar, 18 miles off shore ; depth 9 fathoms ; bottom sand ; 

 many young oysters ; dredged. 



Petrosia testudinaria and other large sponges, Reniera sp. (green, with oysters 

 attached), Axinella tuhulata (with commensal worm) and A. donnani, Phyllospongia 

 holdsworthi; 



Favia sp. (large, green), Adamsia sp. (small, grey, proliferating) ; 



Echinostrephus molare, Ophioinaza cacaotica, Peciinura intermedia; 



Eunice cirrobranchiata (?), Armandia sp., Sabella phatotamia, Serpula quadricornis, 

 Leucodora sp., Pagurids (brilliant orange) ; 



Pearl oysters, " Suran," " Oorie," Murex anguliferus (the elephant chank), and 

 species of Conns. 



The small oysters of this haul were many of them dead. They measured from ^ to 

 over |- inch in size, and quite a number of the dead valves were perforated by boring 

 Gastropods. Out of a small handful taken at random, 17 oysters were living and 

 45 were dead, 7 of which were perforated, and along with them were 3 " Suran " and 

 2 " Oorie" ( inch long). 



STATION XVI. On Periya Paar, about a mile further north ; depth 9 fathoms ; 

 bottom sand, with nullipores, dead coral and shells, with great quantities of 

 young living pearl oysters ; dredged. 



Orbitolites (very large), Heterostegina depressa, Amphistegina lessonii ; 



Isodictya sp. (green) ; 



Paraplanocera aurora ; 



Pearl oysters and Solarium sp., Turbo sp., and young Octopods (a new species 

 with branched processes on the body) ; 



A ntennarius mummifer. 



The numerous pearl oysters in this haul were nearly all young ones, from inch to 

 yf inch in size, and apparently in a healthy condition. 



STATION XVII. Outside western edge of Periya Paar; 11 fathoms; bottom same as 

 last haul ; small pearl oysters very abundant ; dredged. 

 Ciocalypta sp., and other sponges ; 



