DECEMBER. 35 



the base is often seen to be somewhat swollen, and on open- 

 ing this part there is observed an elongated watertight case, 

 made by the folded margins of the leaf, in which the flowers 

 are arranged in two rows. These flowers are of two kinds, 

 the male consisting each of a single one-celled anther, and 

 the female of an ovary with one pendulous ovule. It is 

 interesting to speculate on the profound changes which 

 have caused a flower with six perianth leaves, six stamens, 

 and a three-celled ovary, as there is good reason to believe 

 the ancestral form possessed, to become modified into this 

 retrograded and very much altered submarine plant. 



IV. 



It is only a step from the dry sand above high- water mark 

 to the sea itself, where new sources of interest continually 

 await us. The sea at all seasons of the year, and in nearly 

 all weathers, yields an abundant harvest to the naturalist. 

 At this time of the year periodical migrations of fish take 

 place, as may be seen by the great abundance of red cod * 

 in the harbour, and barracouta t are frequently plentiful on 

 the coast. There can often be seen in the sea in calm 

 weather large bands of gelatinous-looking substance which 

 these fish apparently eat, and which has therefore been 

 termed "barracouta feed" by the fishermen. I believe 

 that when this substance is met with in abundance on or 

 near the surface, the fishermen at once look out for barra- 

 couta, and begin to watch for them with great keenness. 

 These bands of gelatinous material consist of immense 

 numbers of large transparent salpa? floating in close proxi- 

 mity to one another. Each Salpa has a glass-like case 

 or test about an inch long, crossed by delicate bands of 

 muscular fibre, which give it a more or less transversely- 

 striped appearance when the animal has been placed in 

 spirit. Whole tests or fragments of them are frequently 

 met with washed up on the beaches. Along with these, 

 the cases of another allied animal (probably a Dolioluw) 

 are very common. Each case is like a wide glass barrel, 



* Red Cod (Physiatltts bacchus), f Barracouta (Thyrsifes atun}. 



