208 PELAGIC LIFE, PALMOTTTH. 



were more numerous than, ever, and with them I noticed large 

 quantities of a low species of algse, which I have been unable to 

 identify. On the 28th, a single specimen of Arachnactis albida 

 was detected. Since the 13th of this month I had ceased to 

 weigh my surface gathering, owing to the increasing quantity of 

 the gelatinous algse in the sea. 



April. On the 6th, the surface temperature was 51-6° F. 

 and by the 11th it had risen to 52-3° F. On the 13th, I took 

 with a hand-net large numbers of a species of Thaumentias. 

 Various species of Plutei also abounded in the sea at this time. 

 On the 20th, the surface temperature had risen to 53*9° F. and 

 by the 24th of the month to ?>b'' F. 



During the early part of this month specimens of 

 Aurelia aurita were very abundant in the sea. During this 

 time I examined the gonads of several specimens of this species 

 and invariably found them in a ripe condition. On the 4th, the 

 surface temperature was 54° F. On the 9th, several small 

 individuals of Hormiphora plumosa were secured, and with 

 them numerous larvae of Polychoete worms. On the 13th, the 

 surface temperature was 55 "9° F. Large numbers of Ceratium 

 tripos were observed present in a small gathering made on that 

 morning. On the 17th of the month the surface temperature 

 being 56-3" F., Ascidian tadpoles were noticed for the first time. 

 At this time numbers of the veliger stage of a species of moUusk 

 were caught. From the comparatively large size of these larval 

 forms I am inclined to imagine they were the larvae of 

 Pleurobranchus. An attempt was made to rear some of them 

 but it was not successful. On the 22nd, the surface temperature 

 had changed but little, being at the usual time 56*^ F. It was 

 noticed that the gelatinous algse had decreased in quantity very 

 much on that morning. On the 24th, several late stages of the 

 larva of Synapta were secured. An individual taken at random 

 measured 4 m.m. in length. Hormiphora plumosa continued to 

 be present in great abundance. On the 30th, a single living 

 specimen of Muggioea atlantica was secured. It will be noticed 

 that although specimens of this siphonophore occurred in 

 gatherings made some distance from land, it was not till the end 

 of the month that examples occurred near the shore, 



