SMITHSONIAN EXPLORATIONS, I938 7 



waters, at least at certain seasons. At times they occur in such count- 

 less numbers they color the water red for great distances. Huge 

 windrows of the dead shells of these animals have been observed in 

 the past as a conspicuous red streak along the shore line. Crustaceans 

 of this type form an important whale food and without doubt this 

 species played an important part in the former abundance of whales 

 in the Lower Californian and Mexican waters. A large black sea bass 

 taken in Magdalena Bay during the day regurgitated several of these 

 galatheids when hauled into the boat. 



At Socorro Island, July 20, some of the best fishing of the cruise 

 was experienced. Leopard groupers, spotted cabrillas, California 

 yellowtails, and also several blue crevallys were taken. The President 

 landed the scientific prize of the day, a blue crevally, Caranx stellatus, 

 establishing a record weight for the species — 38 pounds. From along 

 shore in Braithwaite Bay, a small mullet, Mugil setosus, was obtained ; 

 also the first of its kind that the National Museum ever received. 



On July 21, an eventful day and one of the high lights of the cruise, 

 we landed on Clipperton Island, the only true coral atoll in eastern 

 Pacific waters. Dr. Wetmore had long been anxious to obtain a study 

 series of the birds frequenting this isolated and seldom-visited coral 

 island. Thirty-two birds were obtained, as well as a fair sample of its 

 marine fauna. At least one new species of crab was discovered 

 here. Dr. William Randolph Taylor, of the University of Michigan, 

 who has prepared for publication a report on the algae taken, writes : 

 "The Clipperton Island collections are unique, for landing on this 

 isolated atoll is especially difficult." He states further that he found 

 the jars of mixed algae from the lagoon very surprising, inasmuch as 

 he had assumed that the water was salt by seepage or other admixture 

 from the sea. The plants he found indicated, "on the contrary, that 

 it is at least nearly fresh, at any rate near the surface and in the 

 shallows, though probably heavily polluted with nitrogenous matter 

 from the bird colonies. The bulk of the material was of Myxophyceae, 

 which is appropriate under such conditions, and apparently great 

 masses of Lyngbya versicolor must have been present at least near 

 the shore. This is not a definitely marine species. With it were other 

 Myxophyceae of cosmopolitan habits. In sparing amounts an unde- 

 terminable Chara appeared. Finally, four desmids were found in 

 considerable numbers." One of these Dr. Taylor is describing as new. 



Unfortunately, we did not obtain a sample of the lagoon water, as 

 had been planned, for, although the landing was not particularly 

 hazardous at the time of our visit, it was nonetheless difficult and had 



