306 PELAGIC LIFE, FALMOUTH. 



the 8tli, a few specimens of Sarsia prolifera were captured. So 

 far as I am able to discover, this species lias hitherto escaped 

 the notice of local naturalists. On the loth, a few Tornaria in 

 an advanced stage of development were captured in the surface- 

 net. On the 26th, a single specimen of the iateresting Pteropod, 

 noticed in my previous report, was secured, the wind on that 

 occasion being from the westward. 



September. There was not much variation in the surface 

 temperature of the sea during this month. On the first, the 

 surface temperature was 56-9°F, and on the 30th, 57-6*^ F. On 

 the 2nd, a single male specimen of Oentropages typicus, and 

 one small specimen of Monstrilla rigida were secured. The most 

 interesting specimen obtained on that occasion was one Campontia 

 eruciformis figured and described by Dr. Johnston {!). Since 

 then I have caught not only in my surface-net, but also during 

 shore collecting, four more specimens of this interesting animal. 

 The reason it is found in surface-net gatherings is, I imagine, 

 that during gales of wind it is dislodged by the force of the 

 waves from its usual habitat at the roots of sea-weeds ; and on 

 finding itself at the mercy of the currents, clings to the nearest 

 fragment of weed till left stranded again by the tide. JDr. 

 Johnston, loc. cit, is of the opinion that this animal is not the 

 larva of a dipterous insect. Mr. Gosse (6) in his excellent manual 



writes concerning it as follows : — " There is, however the 



larva of some two-winged fly, which is marine. I have 

 repeatedly taken it on our southern shores, quite out of the 

 influence of fresh water. That my specimens are those of a 

 Dipterous larva, I have the high authority of Mr. Francis 

 Walker, who has examined one." After careful examination of 

 the few specimens I have captured of this species, I have no 

 hesitation in stating that Mr. Grosse's remarks are correct. I 

 have invariably seen in my specimens a distinctly paired longi- 

 tudinal tracheal vessel, which is placed in the lateral body wall, 

 and which appears to open to the exterior by a paired opening 

 on either side of the anus. The attempts I have made by 

 means of serial sections to determine this point, have so far 

 been failures, owing to the thickness of the cuticle of the 

 animal ; but I am in hopes at some future date of making some 

 further study of this animal. 



