INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE, PHILADELPHIA. 7 



fossil impressions were those of two species of bivalves, which, from 

 their imperfect state of preservation, can only doubtfully be referred to 

 Modiola and Cytherea. 



The lateness of the hour prevented any further exploration in this 

 direction, and compelled us to retrace our steps in the direction of the 

 schooner. Evening had now fairly set in, and the exuberance of animal 

 life that everywhere greeted us on our ascent vanished as if forever. 

 A stray flock of herons or ibises might still be seen wending its path in 

 the direction of some secluded heronry, an occasional hawk gracefully 

 circling in its aerial height, but the hushed silence of eventide hung like 

 a pall over the landscape. The numerous turkey-buzzards which earlier 

 in the day hovered like so many spectres over the objects of their special 

 adoration, flitting their shadows, as ethereal clouds, across the emerald 

 wall of the forest, now clung noiselessly to the withered branches of 

 some former pride of the wilderness. Thirty or forty, or even more, 

 of these birds could frequently be counted on a single tree, perched 

 like so many black statues in silent contemplation of the visions of 

 departed day. 



Only the waters still gave evidence of unabated animal vitality. The 

 myriads of fish mullet, skip-jack, etc. that disported in the tangle 

 of grass which everywhere covered the floor of the river, formed a most 

 interesting picture, and one decidedly refreshing in its novelty. We 

 observed two individuals of the alligator-gar. 



AXCLOTE KEYS. In our anxiety to make the best of our sailing time 

 we grounded on a grass shoal just beyond Anclote, and anchored for the 

 night ( 1 8th). Low water early in the morning permitted of a considerable 

 amount of wading, and we had thus a very favorable opportunity pre- 

 sented for studying the zoological features of our anchorage. We found 

 a spinose star-fish (Kchinaster sp. ?) fairly abundant, and secured a 

 number of specimens, but this was the only species of the group observed 

 here. There were no urchins at least, we failed to detect any if 

 present. We hooked up a number of the bright yellow sponges of the 

 genus Rhaphyrus (ft. Griffiths!), and with our landing-net scooped in a 

 fair supply of one or more species of simple ascidians (Ascidia ovalis?). 

 Much of the grass was found coated with the compound masses of a 

 species of Botryllus. Among the other forms of animal life taken here 

 were the scallop (Pectcn nucleus), sea-spider (Libinia canaliculata), cow- 

 fish (Ostracion quadricorne], zebra-fish (Chilomycterus geomctricus), and a 

 pipe-fish (Syngnathus), besides a considerable number of diminutive 

 moiluscan forms (Columbella, Nassa, Cerithium, etc.). The tulip-shell 

 (Fasciolaria ttdipci) was fairly abundant. 



We floated off on high-water, and steered southward to Dunedin. 



