Ch. Yin.] CONTENTS OF THE DEEDGE. 125 



which seemed to be that of which we were in search ; and, 

 steaming up, we lay off near it till morning. It then ap- 

 peared as a large irregular precipitous rock, about 600 feet 

 long, and rising 280 feet high, with a reef at either end — 

 covered with sea-birds, and whitened with guano, which ran 

 down over the ledges in long streaming festoons, giving the 

 rock a very singular appearance. Great numbers of gannet 

 (Sula alba) were flying around, and it appeared that they 

 were the principal inhabitants. 



The sea was unfortunately not smooth enough to enable 

 us to effect a landing ; but as the ship was drifting a short 

 distance off to allow of taking observations, I put down the 

 di'edge in about 60 fathoms. It came up richly laden with 

 sponges, delicate branching corals, and Gorgoniae of the 

 richest colours — yellow, red, green, brown, &c. — zoophytes, 

 tunicates, small shells, Ophiurse, &c. — a very embarras de 

 richesses; but the most interesting haul I had ever seen. 

 There were several pretty little feather-stars (ComatuliE), a 

 little nymphon, or sea-spider, and, within the sponges, small 

 crabs had their habitations.* It took a long time to search 

 through the contents of the dredge ; and so numerous were 

 the species of animals, that, unassisted as I was, it was 

 perfectly vain to think of doing more than select the most 

 interesting for examination. In the midst of this mass of 

 coral debris, I found a magnificent Nudibranch of a new 

 species, but probably belonging to the genus Chromodoris. 

 It was nearly three inches long, translucent, of a deep ame- 

 thystine tint about the head, shading into reddish upon the 

 back ; all round the mantle was an edging of opaque white, 

 while the laminated tentacles and leaf-like gills on the back 



* These crabs constitute a new genus, which Mr. Spence Bate has named 

 Spongseoetor. 



