472 DISCOVERY REPORTS 



In 1926 Captain Fagerli was whaling in Magdalena Bay on the Pacific coast of Mexico, 

 and here also he observed at the surface shoals of adult Mnnida that appeared to be 

 identical with those seen off Patagonia. Here also, after an on-shore wind, the beach at 

 high- water mark was found covered with Munida to a depth of several inches. As 

 Captain Fagerli had no specimens from Mexico an enquiry was sent to Dr Waldo L. 

 Schmitt of the Smithsonian Institution, and his reply to Dr Kemp states that the 

 U.S. National Museum has no specimens of M '. gregaria from the west coast of America 

 in its collections. He states: "I am without information on the score of pelagic 

 swarms of post-larval Munidas. There is, however, a common pelagic form on the west 

 coast of Mexico which is considered a good species and genus, Pleuroncodes planipes, 

 Stimpson. Its abundance has been commented upon from time to time. In our Mexico 

 and Central America Coast Pilot [West Coast), Hydrographic Office (Publ.) No. 84, sixth 

 edit., p. 79, under Magdalena Bay, 'Phenomenon', appears the following: 



"A remarkable phenomenon, said to occur frequently in the bay, is the appearance 

 of vast numbers of Crustacea, resembling the shrimp, but not edible. They are from 

 1 to 2 inches long, giving the water a crimson color. The receding tide leaves the shore 

 covered with thick layers, on which the sea birds feed, and the stench arising from their 

 decomposition fills the air.' 



" I first saw this or a similar note in an earlier edition when I was down there with the 

 'Albatross' in 191 1, and though we got no specimens of them at that place, we have 

 since received a number from Magdalena Bay from the late C. R. Orcutt, a veteran 

 shell collector and former good friend of the Museum. I feel certain that this is the 

 species referred to in the coast pilot, not only because it is found at Magdalena Bay, but 

 because it is a well-known pelagic form along the west coast. Regarding its abundance, 

 Stimpson, at the end of his original description, says: 



'"This species lives in the open ocean, and is sometimes found in vast quantities in 

 the Pacific off the American Coast. It was taken by Mr. Grayson in N. lat. 24 , W. long. 

 130 . In March, 1859, it was thrown ashore in considerable numbers at Monterey, 

 California, from which place specimens were forwarded to us by Alex. S. Taylor, Esq.' 



" From a letter from Mr G. E. MacGinitie of the Hopkins Marine Station at Pacific 

 Grove, we learn of ' great quantities washed ashore on January 12, 193 1 , at the isthmus, 

 Catalina Island'. In 191 1 we got about two quarts in our dredge net in the course of 

 a haul, made in 491 fathoms however, off Cape San Lucas, Lower California.. . .You 

 may be interested to know, on the other hand, that upwards of 300 specimens of 

 M. quadrispina were taken at one time by the Albatross in 238 to 310 fathoms, off Santa 

 Barbara Island, April 12, 1904". 



There is thus reason to believe that Pleuroncodes planipes (Plate IV, fig. 7) was the 

 species seen by Captain Fagerli off the Mexican coast. Perhaps also it was this species 

 that was recorded from Callao Harbour in 1830 by Guerin Meneville (below p. 476). 



Swarms of the Grimothea stage of M. gregaria have been recorded from South 

 American waters in all months from November to May inclusive, but appear to have 

 been seen most frequently in the early months of the year. Young (1925, p. 319) gives 



