DISCOLOUKED WATEE. 619 



3° N., 24° W., " Caught a number of small creatures of remarkable beauty 

 in colour." 



April. — In the area of warmest water, about midway between St. Paul's 

 Rocks and Cape Verde, numerous reports of Medusa and jelly-fish. In 

 4^^ N., 24° W., " The surface of the sea covered with a brownish dust, the 

 specks being from l-20th to l-30th of an inch long." In 3° N., 20° W., 

 " M-Uchfish spawn (?) in the last twenty-four hours." In 1° N., 21° W., 

 " Water very dirty, with substance like blanket hairs ; when looked at 

 through a microscope, it appeared like fine seaweed covered with coral 

 excrescences ; also a kind of minute burr, which, when magnified, was 

 star-shaped, the radii being extremely fine." 



May. — MeduscB were seen between 5° and 8° N., and 19° to 22° W. 

 Animalcules, in 3° N., 31° W., and in 5° N., 35° W. In Square 3, numerous 

 observations of jelly-fish, &c. 



June. — In 6° N., 26° W., " Passed a long line oifoam and broivn matter, 

 about 2 ft. wide and at least 2 miles long, in which were many ' Portuguese 

 men-of-war.' " In this month numerous Mollusks were seen in Square 3, 

 between 6° and 7° N., and a school of Blachfish, perhaps feeding on them. 



July. — In Square 3, and in 6° N., 18° W., many luminous animalcules 

 seen. In 6° N., 17° W., midnight, 8th, to 4 a.m., 9th July, 1870, 

 "Water full of phosphorescence; drew a bucket, and found it full of 

 bag-like jelly-fish, each about the size of a man's thumb, and covered with 

 small points ; from the end of each point the light seemed to be emitted, 

 the largest head or point being at the closed end of the bag, and about 

 the size and appearance of a large pearl. Preserved some in oil." In 

 2° N., 31° W., (1858), " Patches of seaweed, of a light brown colour." 



August. — (1855). In 3° N,, 16° W., " Passed through great quantities 

 of animalcules, in layers, from 40 to 50 yards distant ; the water was 

 luminous all round." (1864). In 1° N., 23° W., " Large quantities of 

 Medusa seen this afternoon; water exceedingly luminous after sunset." In 

 Square 3, Medusa effulgens and other gelatinous creatures seen. 



September. — In 5° N., 18° W., " Numerous jelly-fish floating about." 

 In lat. 3° to 6° N., long. 23° to 26° W., " Sailed through a batch of 

 ' Portuguese men-of-war ; ' they were in a rippling which extended in a 

 line East and West. No m:>re than twenty or thirty were seen before or 

 after. They were unusually large, bright-coloured, pink and blue. This 

 was just after we had sailed from South and S.W. winds into different 

 weather, and just after a heavy shower of rain (ship going North)." In 

 3° N., 23° W., " Some Portuguese men-of-war, large and blue, with pink- 

 edged sails. I have never found them in the easterly currents hereabout, 

 only in the westerly." In 6° N., 28° W., " Water appears to be full of 

 animalcules." In Square 3, numerous notices of animalcules; and in 

 6° N., 24° W., " A quantity of yellowish matter, resembling fish spawn." 



November. — (1856 and 1860). In the parallel a little North of Sierra 

 Leone, vegetable matter (evidently from some of the rivers) was observed 

 floating on the water as far West as 19° W. ; seaweed was also seen 

 (several large pieces, 1863), in 7° N., 14° W. In Square 3, birds, fish, and 

 their food, seem to have abounded between 4° and 5° N., where the 

 easterly and westerly currents meet. 



