3890 The Zoologist — March, 1874. 



towards the North of Ireland the phosphorescence of the animals 

 captured seems to have attracted particular attention. 



" In some places nearly everything brought up seemed to emit light, and 

 the mud itself was perfectly full of luminous sparks. The alcyonians, the 

 brittle-stars, and some annelids were the most brilliant. The Pennatulce, 

 the Virgulariae, and the Gorgouiae shone with a lambent white light so 

 bright that it showed quite distinctly the time by a watch ; while the light 

 from Ophiacantha spinulosa was of a brilhant green, coruscating from the 

 centre of the disk, now along one arm, now along another, and sometimes 

 vividly illumiuatiug the whole outUne of the starfish." — P. 98. 



From the 31st of July to the 11th of August, when she again 

 steered northwards for Stornaway, the 'Porcupine' was detained 

 by the necessity of coaling and of clearing out her boilers after 

 being so long at sea ; she then steamed slowly towards the Fajroe 

 Bank, continually dredging and making observations, the weather 

 still continuing fine, and the appliances working admirably. Dr. 

 Thomson tells us that an ingenious device of the Captain's multi- 

 plied the captures a hundredfold. 



" A number of tangles of teased-out hemp, like the swabs for cleaning 

 the decks, were hung at the bottom of the dredge. These hempen tangles 

 swept by the side of the dredge, pulling along and picking out everything 

 which was moveable and rough. As echiuoderms, crustaceans and sponges 

 were very numerous in this cold area, the tangles often came up absolutely 

 loaded, while there was but little within the dredge-bag." — P. 105. 



The following incident, which occurred on their second arrival 

 at Thorshavn, will be read with pleasure : — 



" From station 59 we proceeded northwards to Thorshavn, where we were 

 warmly received by our kind friend Governor Holten, who had been fore- 

 warned of our visit, and at once came off in his barge to welcome us. 

 Governor Holten was uncommonly proud of this barge, and he had some 

 reason. She was a very handsome, trim boat, and manned bj a dozen stout 

 Fceroese boatmen in their neat uniform ; and, with the Danish ensign flyiu(» 

 at the stern, and our handsome friend muffled in his military cloak with a 

 thick hood to keep out the somewhat palpable and intrusive climate of 

 Foeroe, she looked all that could be desired. When the Governor came on 

 board he proposed to Capt. Calver to try a race with him, for the honour of 

 old England and the white ensign. Some of us were going ashore, and 

 when the Governor came up from the cabin our whale-boat w^as lying along- 

 side, with twelve blue-jacketed Shetlauders sitting like sUitues, their white 



