Life on the Ocean Surface, 17 



organisms which occupied the same vessel. When disposed to 

 turn about, it protruded the foot so as to half encircle the shell, 

 and by then rapidly straightening the organ the desired change 

 of position was effected. It was very interesting to see the 

 complete control which the animal thus exercised over its heavy 

 and apparently unwieldy shell. In twelve fathoms of water we 

 came upon a great quantity of blue-spined Echini, the tangles 

 of the dredge in one short haul bringing up about two dozen. 

 Fishing-lines were also brought into requisition, resulting in the 

 capture of some fishes of a pale crimson colour, belonging to the 

 blenny family. 



In the evening of this day (24th October) we sailed from St. 

 Vincent. Up to the 29th instant the north-east trade wind 

 proved fairly propitious, but it now failed us completely ; and as 

 we were at this time in latitude 8° N., and there were otherwise 

 unmistakable indications of our having arrived at the " Doldrums " 

 (the region of equatorial calms), steam was had recourse to. 

 Under this artificial stimulus we proceeded at a rate of from five 

 to six knots, a speed unfortunately too great for the use of 

 the tow- net ; and on this occasion the circumstance was all the 

 more vexatious, as the surface water seemed peculiarly rich in 

 animal life. Ultimately, however, determining on sacrificing some 

 bunting in the cause of science, I put a tow-net over the stern, 

 and the captain aided me materially by towing from the end of 

 the lower studding-sail boom a ten-foot trawl-net. Between the 

 two we succeeded in capturing some v/ater insects of the genus 

 Halobates, several beautiful large Ianthince, but unfortunately 

 with their fragile shells partly broken and severed from their 

 rafts ; also a Physalia, a small free-swimming Actinia, some 

 discophorous Medusae, and several Pteropod Molluscs of the 

 genus Hyalea. For several consecutive days the surface water 

 after dusk was thronged with the above-mentioned Medusae, whose 

 tough gelatinous discs, of three inches diameter, continually 

 clogged up the meshes of the tow-net. On the 2nd of November 



Z 



