1898] ZOOLOGICAL JAMAICA 163 
sponges, and the like. No other spot that we visited in Jamaica 
could compare with the Lakes for abundance and variety of marine 
life. The sea-weed on the mangrove-roots is literally swarming 
with animals, and a single root would furnish profitable entertain- 
ment for hours. The sponges are of all colours and shades from 
black to white, red, green, blue and purple being the most striking. 
The oysters are small but abundant, and are said to be good eating. 
Beautifully coloured planarians and nudibranch molluscs are numer- 
-ous both in species and individuals. One of the most interesting 
inhabitants of these colonies is a viviparous Synapta, which is abun- 
dant in certain parts of the Lakes. On dead mangrove-roots, where 
there is little or no sea-weed, one often finds large masses of an 
orange-red ascidian, which is one of the most noticeable objects to 
be seen. A large tubicolous annelid, Sabella, sometimes called 
locally a ‘sea-hen, is quite common, and is conspicuous on account 
of its large, brown and white tentacle-gills. Numerous crabs are 
found among the mangrove and in the sea-weed, and they form one 
of the most fascinating groups in the fauna of Jamaica. Over 100 
species have been recorded from the island, and they differ so re- 
markably in size, shape, colour and conformity to their surround- 
ings that there seems no limit to their diversity. Indeed, curious 
novelties in the crab line were sure to turn up on every collecting 
trip. We often found small fishes tangled up with the sea-weed 
when we lifted roots out of the water, and in this way we captured 
several specimens of the curious and graceful little sea-horse, Hippo- 
campus. On the bottom of the Lakes the commonest animals are 
echinoderms, but one curious discomedusa, Cassiopea, is often found 
there, which, as it rests on the sand with its oral tentacles up, bears 
such a striking resemblance to a head of cauliflower that it is hard 
to believe it is not a vegetable growth. Several species of star-fish 
occur, the most striking of which are a bright red Hcehinaster and the 
large nine-armed Luidia. Two other species of Luidia occur, and 
one or two species of Astropecten are common.  Ophiurids are 
represented by only a single species, and that a very small one, and 
sea-urchins are not very common. But holothurians abound, and 
are very noticeable. A few of these belong to the genus Miilleria, 
many more to Holothuria, but the great bulk of them to Stichopus. 
The latter show the most extraordinary variation in colour and 
form, so that the determination of species becomes a difficult matter. 
Large tectibranch molluscs, Aplysiae of several species, also occur in 
the Lakes, but they are not very common. They excrete a purple 
fluid into the water when they are irritated or disturbed. Sea- 
anemones are abundant and of several species; one genus, Buno- 
diopsis, is rather small, and covers the eel-grass in certain places 
with greyish-white patches. A large black ascidian is very common, 
