186 LETTER FROM DR. R. O. CUNNINGHAM. [Mar. 12, 



constitute the sum total of the fishes obtained last season. I trust, 

 however, that in succeeding seasons I may be more fortunate. I 

 have procured a considerable number of mollusks. The only Ce- 

 phalopod seen was a species of Octopus, specimens of which were 

 dredged at Sandy Point, St. Jago Bay, &c. These were all of small 

 size ; but I saw much larger mutilated specimens lying on the beach 

 at Sandy Point on one occasion, having been cast up by a severe 

 gale. Gasteropoda — species of Trophen (Trophen magellanicus is 

 one of the commonest Strait shells), Fusus, Buccimcm, Turbo, Vo- 

 Juta, Crepidula, Fissurella, Emarginula, CalyptrcBa, Patella, Ac- 

 incea. Chiton, &c. occurred to me. I never succeeded in dredging 

 live specimens of Voluta magellaniea, though the dead shells existed 

 in great numbers, almost all my live ones having been found on the 

 beach at Sandy Point after a gale. The body of the animal is of a 

 fine purple colour, as is also that of a second species of Voluta I 

 found at Cape Possession burrowing in the sand, and apparently 

 feeding on the mussels on the rocks after the manner of our British 

 Purpura lapillus. I met with no land Mollusca, and only a single 

 freshwater species, a Lymncea. The Chitones, Patellce, and Fissu- 

 rellcB were of large size. Among the Lamellibrauchiata of the 

 Strait I may mention species of Pecten, Mytilus, Pullastra, Mactra, 

 Solen, &c. The Brachiopods are represented by one, if not two, 

 species of Terebratula, of which much the finest specimens were 

 procured by means of the dredge in Possession Bay, one or two 

 measuring more than ]i inch long. The Strait appears to be 

 rather rich in Tunicata, both simple and compound, many species 

 of both sections of the class attaining a very large size, specimens 

 of the former sometimes measuring .5 or 6 inches from the base to 

 the apertures, and those of the latter frequently attaining a length 

 of 2 or 3 feet. Of Pohjpcea I obtained several species. Then, as 

 to Crustacea, I have been more fortunate as respects the sessile-eyed 

 than stalk-eyed species, having met with but few of the latter. Two 

 species of Lithodes are tolerably abundant, and two or three Bra- 

 chyura ; but I have met with only one small Macrurous Decapod. 

 The most striking of the Sessile-eyed Crustacea observed was the 

 Sardis fabricii, which was taken in great numbers in the sea at 

 Sandy Point. Of Annelids I have obtained a considerable num- 

 ber, most of them belonging to British types. The insect-fauna 

 of the Strait is, I need scarcely say, very poor. Of Coleoptera I 

 found six or eight species, including one or two CurculionidcB, a 

 small Longicorn, one or two Carabidce, &c. The Orthoptera were 

 represented by two species of Grasshopper ; the Hymenoptera by 

 an orange-coloured Humblebee, foind at Port Gallant, and a few 

 Ichneumouflies ; the Neuroptera by two Dragonflies, one got at 

 Possession Bay, the other at Port Gallant ; the Diptera by a few 

 obscure species ; and the Lepidoptera by four species of Butterflies 

 and a few Moths. Of Echinodermata I procured species of Aste- 

 riadcB (including species of Asterias and Genatha, AphiuridcB, Echi- 

 nidcB, and Halt hurt dee). Several large species of Acalephse were ob- 

 tained, and a variety of Hydroidea and Porifera. 



