BIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF TRINCOMALEE HARBOUR. 33 



Depth, 3 fathoms. Bottom, sand and lot of Halimeda. 



One Holothuria marmorata. Many Synapta striata living in 

 sponges. Few Callianassids. Few Gonodactylus glabrous. Few 

 Alpheus audouini living in sponges. Many sponges of different 

 colours {Megalopastas nigra, Acanthella carteri, &c.). Few crabs 

 and starfishes. Sipunculids in sponges. 



Station 2. — Half a mile west of Little Powder Islands. 

 Depth, 4 fathoms. Bottom, sand and little Halimeda. 

 Few Synapta striata living in sponges. One specimen of Meta- 

 peneus monoceros. Many sponges (similar to Station 1). Few crabs. 



Station 3. — 250 yards east of Station 2. 



Depth, 5 fathoms. Bottom, sand and few stones. 



The dredge caught almost immediately in the sand. From a 

 rowing boat it is sufficient to stop the boat if the dredge dip into the 

 soft sand. 



Several Holothuria scabra. Several Holothuria marmorata. Few 

 sponges. 



Station 4. — Quarter mile north-west of Little Powder Islands. 

 Depth, 5 fathoms. Bottom, sand. 



Several Holothuria marmorata. One Stichopus chloronotus. Many 

 sponges of various colours (similar to those at Station 1) . Few crabs. 



Station 5. — 500 yards north-north-west of York Island. 



Depth, 6 fathoms. Bottom, sand and coral. 



Few Holothuria marmorata and sponges. Several Echinoids, 

 among which one is deserving of special mention. It was as large 

 as a.n orange, and was dark brown in colour, with the exception of 

 the spines, which were lighter in colour, and varied from dark brown 

 at the base of each to white at the tip. The test was remarkably 

 soft. The spines were said to be poisonous by the boatmen. 

 Living amongst the spines were two small shrimps, which afforded 

 an excellent example of colour protection. They were brown in 

 colour, with a white stripe along the rostrum and down the middle 

 of the back. The legs were also white. So far as I have determined 

 from a hasty inspection, the shrimps belong to the genus Anchistus. 



January 18, 1911. 



Station 6. — Opposite iVdmiralty House, 200 yards from shore and 

 half a mile north-east of York Island. 



Depth, 3 fathoms. Bottom, sand. 



Large green sponge full of small Ox^hiuroids and Sipunculids. 

 Numerous light violet sponges. Two specimens of Conchodytes 

 meleagrince from Pinna. Some coral. 



Station 7. — Half a mile west of York Island. 

 Depth, 6 furlongs. Bottom, sand. 



Holothuria scahra. Stichopus chloronotus with living crab and a 

 Fierasfer taken from cloaca. Large quantity of a weed-like sponge, 

 F 6(19)U 



