NARRATIVE. 



31 



some letters appeared in the Colombo newspapers on the matter, and a Mr. J. B. 

 Colomb, resident in Trincomalee, sent to me one or more specimens of oysters from 

 which pearls had been obtained. 



On February 7th, at 7 a.m.. we were off Muletivo Shoals, on the north-east coast, 

 and the sea-temperature was 77 F. and the specific gravity 1'021 ; at 7.30 p.m. that 

 night in Trincomalee inner bay the temperature of the sea was 78 "3 F. and the 

 specific gravity 1*022. About 2 p.m. we reached Back Bay (fig. 2), outside Trin- 

 comalee, and took a haul of the dredge (Station XX.) in order to see whether the 



qttia Sand 



Fig. 2. Sketch-plan of the bays round Trincomalee, showing Stations XX. to XXXI. 



ground was suitable for pearl oysters. The bottom was hard and bore a mixed fauna, 

 but no oysters were found. The tow-net contained a number of Copepoda, including 

 Oithona minuta and a new Labidocera, close to L. kroyeri. 



STATION XX. North part of Back Bay, Trincomalee; depth 11-13 fathoms; 

 bottom hard ; dredged. Amongst the animals obtained were : 

 Anemones attached to Ftisus tuberculatus, Heterocyathus aequicostatus, and 

 Heteropsammia michelini (with Gephyreans) ; 



