18 



No living coral was seen except a small Favia sp. and an occasioaal Gorgouid. 



While on the bottom I saw many fishes including both KilaU (Trigger fishes) 

 and Vellamin together with a beautifully striped sponge-eating lisli (Holocanthus 

 imperatoi'). The Asterid, Pcntaceros lincki, was not abundant. No Snrau (Modiola 

 larbata) was seen. 



After I had completed my examination of the bottom, Captain Carlyon being of 

 opinion that it was now too late in the season to do further work, and as the coal 

 supply was on the point of giving out, under the circumstances I determined ta- 

 bling the investigation to a close. 



When the anchor was brought up we had a repetition of our former experience 

 on this bank — the chain being studded with young oysters of about two months old 

 affixed by their byssal cables near the attachment to the anchor. 



Two hours later we landed for the last time at Tuticorin and although I had not 

 been able to examine every bank charted, I considered that I now knew the general 

 characteristics of the principal groups sufficiently well to answer all practical purposes 

 and enable me to furnish solutions to the majority of the problems I had set oat to 



solve. 



