796 



CETOCHILUS. 



animals, belonging to the order Branchiopoda, section 

 Lophympoda, sub-section Cardnoida, and nearly allied 

 to the genus Cyclops, from which it differs in having ' 

 a pair of eyes. These little animals are about one- 

 sixth of an inch long, of an oblong-oval form, and are 

 furnished with two very long, and two short antennae, 

 a mouth, five pairs of short foot-jaws, and five pairs 

 of swimming, bifid, and ciliated legs, with a small 

 narrow five-jointed abdomen, the last segment of 

 which is provided with several long setae. 



This genus was established by M. Roussel de Vau- 

 zeme, in the Annales dcs Sciences Naturelles for the 

 year 1834, and affords a most interesting instance of 

 the great share which the minute tribes of annulose 

 animals take in the economy of nature. 



The little creatures of which this genus is com- 

 posed inhabit the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, beyond 

 the 42 of south latitude ; where they swarm to such 

 an extent, that, at certain seasons, they form dense 

 masses upon the surface of the sea, to which, from 

 their being of a bright red colour, they give a bloody 

 appearance, serving also for food for the whales 

 which abound in those parts of the ocean. 



It had been long known that whales feed upon 

 various minute animals. Fish also, and crustaceous 

 animals, as well as medusa?, serve for their food j but, 

 in general, direct observations upon the genera and 

 species of these latter animals are wanting in the 

 works of travellers a want which we trust the esta- 

 blishment of those societies, which are peculiarly 

 devoted to various branches of zoological knowledge, 

 will tend to supply, by first showing the necessity for 

 such observations. 



M. de Vauzeme, who accompanied a party of 

 whale fishers to the southern ocean, has, to a consi- 

 derable degree, made known various interesting cir- 

 cumstances respecting those animals, which are in 

 various ways connected with the whale, including 

 those of the Cetochilus australis. This expedition 

 remained near the islands of Tristan d'Acunha for 

 four months, occupied daily in fishing, and without 

 discovering the animals upon which the whales feed. 



In passing, however, thence to Cape Horn, in the 

 month of February, the surface of the sea was disco- 

 vered one morning to be streaked as though with 

 blood, in red lines many leagues long. The expe- 

 rienced fishers Immediately announced that they 

 were arrived at the station of the whales, and shortly 

 afterwards some of these monsters of the deep were 

 seen sporting in the midst of these bloody streaks. 

 The sea also appeared to be in a constant ebullition 

 from the rapid movements of these living masses, 

 which gave to it so extraordinary an appearance. 

 On examining the living animals whilst in motion, 

 the hind legs were observed to be directed towards 

 the head, and by a sudden movement thrown back- 

 wards, so as to give the body a progressive jerking 

 kind of motion ; the large antennae were also curved 

 in a semi-circle round the sides of the body, and 

 appeared to assist in locomotion. Although conglo- 

 merated in the ocean in compact and regular masses, 

 each animal in the space it occupies possesses suffi- 

 cient liberty for all its movements. Sometimes 

 during rough weather, whole shoals of these animals 

 were lifted with the waves above the surface of 

 the sea, falling upon the sails and other parts of 

 the vessel. The whales devour myriads of them. 

 The American fishermen term these red shoals of 

 animals the food of the whale ; and they informed 

 M. Vauzeme, that, during the months of October and 

 November, they remain hidden in the depths of the 

 ocean. Later in the season, and when they are ready 

 to deposit their eggs, they come to the surface of the 

 sea. This circumstance therefore is noted by the 

 sailors as the sign of the departure of the whales, 

 which shortly afterwards approach the bays. After 

 the eggs are deposited, these red streaks upon the 

 surface of the sea become yellow. The food of the 

 whales is then technically said to be ripe, and the 

 whales soon depart. This change of.colour, produced 

 by the presence of the eggs, M. Vauzeme was informed 

 by experienced fishers, takes place soon after the 

 appearance of the animal, although he did not ob- 

 serve it himself. 



END OF VOL. I. 



Brtulbury and F,v.->ns, 1'riuters (late T. PavisoiO, AVhitffrlam. 



