THE OUTER REEF. 19 



agreeable in their companionship, and on two occasions we 

 found that long after stranding, and for liours after life had 

 been apparently extinguished, the Portuguese-raan-of-war was 

 still able to discharge with effect its tiny darts, and produce an 

 impressive irritation. 



Of the larger jellj'-fishes frequenting the neighl)orhood of the 

 reef we found the pink Aurelia and the rhizostome especially 

 numerous, and it was interesting to watch with what equabil- 

 ity these delicate creatures weathered the rolling billows, how 

 nicely they adjusted their presence so as to evade the breaking 

 water, and kept their pulsating bells in the comparatively 

 quiet zone of only a few inches depth beneath the surface. 



The more tranquil pools of the reef are in places stocked 

 with fish, which partake of the same brilliant mould which 

 distinguishes the lower animals. The members of the tribe of 

 labroids, such as the golden " Spanish lady," the " blue-fish," 

 and " hind" were especially conspicuous, darting rapidly from 

 shelter to shelter as our sliadows were cast upon the water, 

 y/ading through one of thesepools I disturbed the peace of some 

 thirty or forty fishes of the most intense blue and purple, but 

 the rapidity of their movements rendered a determination of 

 the species impossible. We observed, however, none of the 

 lovely angel-fishes, with tlieir long streamers of blue and j'el- 

 low, nor any of the parrot-fishes proper, which apparently find 

 a more congenial home in the inner waters of the archipelago. 



The surface of the reef that is here exposed above low-water 

 is barely more than a few yards in width, and is everywhere 

 honey-combed into pits of greater or less depth. Many of these 

 pits were dry, or nearly so, while others are permanently filled 

 with water ; but whether you examine the one or the other, 

 you find the same traces of a busy animal life. Tiny crabs are 

 especially abundant, and they may be seen scurrying about in 

 all directions; as elsewhere the hermits have well provided 

 themselves, and the moving domiciles of Purpura, Nassa, and 

 Columbella, with their colored patches of algal growth, are con- 

 spicuous objects on the floor of the reef. Seemingly none of the 



