188 THE AMERICAN NATURALIST. [Vor. XXXVI, 
On the 20th, four days after the red (characteristically a 
muddy vermilion) streak had reached the shore, a most sicken- 
ing odor arose from the water along the beach. On the 2rst it 
was almost unbearable. During the night, on a beach about 
four hundred feet long, a large number of animals were left 
by the tide. Among them were several hundred holothurians 
(Trachostoma arenata), several specimens of two species of 
sting ray (Mylobatis californicus and Urolophus halleri), two 
species of guitar fishes (Azzobatus productus, 3 individuals ; 
Platyrhinoidis triseriatus, 3 individuals), two cestracionts (Gyro- 
pleurodus francisci), two dogfishes (Galeus californicus), a red 
perch, a large number of smelts, and several octopi. The 
fishes and octopi were dead, but many of the Trachostoma 
lived for several days. Many Pinnixa faba had crawled out of 
the cloaca of the holothurians, on which eco are normally 
parasitic. 
On the 22d more Trachostoma were left on the beach. Some 
days later the odor had almost disappeared, but the water in the 
harbor and along the beaches was a brilliant vermilion. It 
was at this time that on two succeeding mornings a number 
of specimens of the blindfish (ZygA/egobius californicus) were 
thrown up, both alive and dead. Then for two days came a 
number of Zevila crassatelloidis, many Petrolisthes cinctipes and 
Cancer antennarius. Finally, great numbers of Hippa analoga 
were thrown up, most of them alive but apparently debilitated 
and unable to dig as is their habit. They were mostly of large 
size. 
This wholesale destruction was entirely unprecedented for 
the summer. The height of the tide and breakers were but 
subordinate causes at best; for, although the holothurians and 
selachians appeared: after a higher tide and stronger sea than 
usual, as many of the former came up on a beach protected by 
a breakwater as on the beach shown in the photograph (Fig. 1). 
And as the tide fell from day to day, the animals did not cease 
to appear. The Typhlogobius appeared when the tide was 
moderate, with practically no sea running. This is interesting, 
not only because Typhlogobius usually lives, undisturbed by 
breakers, in holes and crannies among therocks, which must 
