52 BLUEFIELDS. 



flesh enveloping the skeleton, they were in the very 

 best condition. 



A few yards from the beach the bottom is a white 

 tenacious marl, covered with a dense but short coat 

 of marine grass. On this lie in the shallow water 

 many HolothuricB ; they are soft and flaccid when 

 first taken out of their element, but after being held 

 in the hand a few moments they become tense and 

 stiff", and usually discharge a small stream of water 

 from the extremity of the body. They do this, I 

 find, even if held under water : it is doubtless the 

 result of strong muscular contraction. They are 

 sluggish, unattractive animals, of a dull olive tint. 

 A species of Swimming-crab [Lujm) common in these 

 shallows is very active and fierce, extending its open 

 claws in a threatening manner when danger is near ; 

 but, if allowed to escape by swimming, it does so 

 rapidly, bending up the claw of the side which hap- 

 pens to be foremost, and allowing the other to stretch 

 out behind. Probably this is the arrangement in 

 which these unwieldy members offer least resistance 

 to the water in progression. 



Raking with an insect-net among the weeds in 

 these shallows, I captured a Sole of small size, 

 prettily marked in a netted pattern of confluent 

 lines.* 



* It appears to be'new, and may be thus described : — The Inscribed 

 Solenette, Monochirus inscriphis (Plate I. Fig. 4.): Right pectoral 

 composed of two minute filaments, left composed of a single one 

 almost obsolete. Ventrals indistinct, brush-like, united to each other, 

 and to the anal. Anal and dorsal united to tiie caudal. Form nearly 

 oval, slightly tapering ; caudal rounded ; mouth and chin fringed 

 with short bristles; mouth much decurved ; lower eye close to rictus. 



