LOG OF THE ARCTURUS 393 



with stubby tops and roots, vases, footballs, cups, fans, platters and 

 clubs, with every color in the spectrum represented, in glaring tones 

 and startling contrasts. There were scores of marvellous serpent 

 starfish, no two alike, and worms, moUusks, shrimps, and urchins. 

 Now and then we came across beautiful little fish, some defying 

 attempts at identification, — scarlet, yellow, striped, spotted, many 

 with five finger-like pectoral rays, specialized for clinging to the 

 coral as Pterophryne's fin-rays are for holding to the weed. 



Someone saw a fish's head protrude for an Instant from the 

 centre of a giant scarlet-tentacled holothurian, and presently out 

 crept a wonderful Fierasfer, bright iridescent copper and green and 

 gold and red, with a long eel-like body and extraordinary eyes, a fish 

 that spends its life in the strange sanctuary where we first saw it, 

 not parasitizing the holothurian, except in so far as shelter is con- 

 cerned. 



Noon position; Lat. 17° 39' N; Long. 63° 16' W. 



March 16th, Running at half-speed with wind, current and sea 

 behind us, we are making seven and a half to eight knots across the 

 Caribbean. No stop. Passed a school of blackfish or grampuses, 

 playing or courting. Big flippers spanking the water resoundingly. 

 Two lying quietly at the surface side by side. 



Noon position; Lat. 16° 35' N; Long. 65° 32' "W. 



March 17th. For most of the day a school of tunnies darted to and 

 fro just under and ahead of the lowered pulpit. Underwater they look 

 brilliant violet, with all fins golden yellow, except the caudal which is 

 black. 



March 18th. Fair; strong following wind. Two Coryphaena or dol- 

 phin-fish caught from stern by crew, on a No. 3 cod-hook and piece of 

 white canvas, while the ship was making eight knots. One weighed 

 nineteen, the other twenty-three pounds, both females in full breeding 

 condition. Got many parasites from mouths and under skin. Seems 

 to be no truth in poetic rumor that dying dolphin flushes with rain- 

 bow changes of color, as the only thing that happened to these was that 

 one developed a line of dark vertical bars which the other lacked al- 

 together. Flyingfish very abundant, and weed passing in small patches. 

 Several Physalia seen. 



Noon position: Lat. 14° 03' N: Long. 71° 21' W. 



March 19th and 20th. Higher sea, but we are steady since wind, 

 current and swell are following. Thousands upon thousands of fly- 

 ingfish around us all day, from the size of a bee to those four or 

 five inches long. 



March 21st. Entered Limon Bay this afternoon and anchored as 

 near Fort Sherman as we could, planning another collecting trip 

 such as we had at Devil's Hole three years ago. Everyone ashore in 

 evening. 



