94 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [92] 



for the Kingstou market. 1 had a good opportunity to see how this was 

 done, as we saw several parties at work. The place was reached at 

 dark and proved to be a sheltered sheet of water along a swamp grown 

 up to large trees. The water was little more than w^ist deep. The net 

 used was about 15 feet long, 8 feet wide, one-half inch mesh, and was 

 made of small twine. Light poles were fastened across the ends. The 

 men grasped the poles and walked along parallel to the shore, hoidmg 

 the net at an angle of 45 degress, the net just clearing the bottom. At 

 ter walkiug along,25 or '60 feet, the net was suddenly elevated to a hori- 

 zontal position and the shrimp, fish, and crabs shaken down to the 

 center and then thrown into the boat, which one of the men had been 

 dragging behind hiin by fastening the painter around his waist. This 

 is carried on in perfect silence. Several parties passed us working in 

 exactly the same way. 



After shrimp enough had been obtained, with some small ti»h and 

 crabs, we lighted torches and landed, going into the swamp in search of 

 land crabs, which are said to come out of their holes at night. Several 

 very large ones were captured, also a large frog, much to the surprise 

 of the men, who could see no use in collecting anything beyond what 

 could be eaten or sold, and this frog, they said, "was not good to eat." 

 On another excursion, coral was detached from the bottom and brought 

 up in a body by means of a hook fastened to the end of a long pole. 

 From, this coral we obtained a number of small animals, among them a 

 beautiful crab, an addition to our list. Several land crabs were dag 

 out of their burrows in a mangrove swamp. When the spade cut 

 through the upper layer of leaves and roots a quantity of very obnoxious 

 gas would sometimes issue and compel us to abandon the digging. 

 Hermit crabs of the genius Cenohita were common on a sandy ridge 

 running through the swamp. 



Kingston harbor was the first place where starfish were taken in any 

 numbers. Here a JO-galloii tank was filled with fine specimens ol an 

 Oreaster. An excursion was made upon tlie mountain to the place where 

 water is turned into the aqueduct which supplies the city of Kingston. 

 Here we collected two species of crawfish, two species of fish, and some 

 shells. 



The Albatross sailed from Kingston March 11th. But three hauls 

 were made between that jiort and Savanilla, where we arrived on the 

 IGth. Excursions were made every day along the shores while there. 

 The boat-dredge was used several times with fair results. One day 

 was spent in hunting birds. Mr. Kidgway identified the following: 



Geryle torquaia (Linn.). Ereunetes x^U'^Ulus (Linn.). 



ChrysotlH amazonica (Linn.). Ereunetes occldeu-taUs (Lawr.). 



Ochthodromus ivilfionins ruJinnciHs Totanus melanoleucus (Gmel.). 



(Eidgw.). PhaJacrocorax hrasilieiisis (Gmel.). 

 JSgialites seinipalmata (Bp.). 



