Narrative of Bahama Kxpedition. 121 



the head. There were twelve round spots in a row separat- 

 ing the sides from the ventral portion of the body. A small 

 species of flounder, a minute mackerel, an Antcnnarius such 

 as we found in floating sea-weed in the (jfulf Stream, and a 

 "midshipman" {Porichthys^ were dredged in the channel to 

 the north-west of Garden Key. A beautiful little purple 

 striped species was found living a parasitic life among the 

 tentacles of the Portuguese man-o'-war. It was comical to 

 see the evident consternation of these little fellows when their 

 host was suddenh' lifted out of the water. One specimen 

 was found dead among the tentacles. It would be interesting 

 to discover whether the tish are immune from the nemato- 

 cysts with which the tentacles are packed, or whether the 

 Physalia derives some benefit from their presence and refrains 

 from using its weapons. That the fish itself finds excellent 

 protection admits of little doubt. Its colors, striped purple 

 and white, or at least light, assimilate admirably with those 

 of the tentacles among which it lives. iVlmost every Phy- 

 salia that we saw while at the Tortugas had its little company 

 of fish swimming along among the tentacles. 



'• The insects taken at the Tortugas were necessarily rather 

 few in number of species, since so barren a collecting ground 

 could hardly be very productive. So far as known, some of 

 the moi'e interesting may be thus specified : 



"Among the Hvmenoptera, Oxybchis ciiiarg/'inilits Sav is 

 the sole representative of the Aculeata. A number of ants 

 were found, however, in the sand or beaten from bushes, 

 among which Mr. Pergande has recognized Ccunponottis tor- 

 //n^\!iiii> Em., Tclrainon'iiiii cicspi/iiiii Linn., Tctraiiioriiiiii 

 g'iii)icciisc Fabr. and Phcidolc iiicgaccphala Fabr. A little 

 Lyctenid was the onl}- Lepidopterous insect at all conspicuous. 

 The Coleoptera were given the largest share of attention and 

 consequently furnish the longest list of species. Along the 

 beach, under sea-weed, were found Cafiiis histn'aUis Er.. 

 Actinopteryx fucicohi Allib., Phalcria lon^-nhi Lee. and P/ia- 

 Icn'a picipcs Sa}'. The carapaces of two immense turtles 

 which were laid out on the beach of Bird Key to cure, 



