6 
BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
There were on board Lieut. Edward Belcher, Surg. Alexander Collie, and George 
T. Lay, naturalist. The Blossom, left England May 19, I825. for the Pacific by way 
of Cape Horn, and arrived at Woahoo (Oahu), Sandwich Islands, May 19, 1826. 
She left llonoruru (Honolulu) May 31 for Oneehow (Niihau). where she arrived the 
next day, remaining at these places only long enough to restock with water and 
provisions and to trade with the natives. She sailed on June 2 for the north, 
leaving Mr. Lay, however, at Honolulu, where he remained until the return of the 
vessel January 26, 1827. On March 4, 1827, the Blossom took final leave of the 
Hawaiian Islands. 
During this voyage natural history observations were made by Mr. Lay and Dr. 
Collie, the latter performing the duties of naturalist during tin* illness of Mr. Lay. 
Lieutenant Belcher rendered valuable assistance in caring for the collections. Dur¬ 
ing Mr. Lay’s sojourn of a little less than a year at Honolulu, he was ill much of 
the time, and his observations and notes are therefore not as full as he doubtless 
otherwise would have made them. It is stated, however, that many species of fishes 
were observed at Oahu, and that Dr. Collie “here continued his experiments on the 
Juvcn ti, and extended his anatomical observations to a fish which is kept and reared 
in the Taro ponds, and esteemed very highly by the natives, especially the belly 
part, soaked in salt and water and eaten raw. Its native name is Ava, and it seems 
tc be nearly allied to, if not identical with, the Butlrinus glosspdonta Cuv.”° Mr. 
Lay lisi. 1 many species at Honolulu, and has left a number of notes, some of which 
arc very intt L '~ Ti most of them, however, are general, and the species referred 
to are not identifiable. 
The fishes collected during the voyage of the Blossom were reported on by Lay 
and Bennett in the “Zoology of Captain Becchey’s Voyage.” (Lay and Bennett 
1839.) The total number of species recorded is 26, only 4 of which are credited to 
the Hawaiian Islands. These are from Oahu and all are described as new. The 
drawings illustrating the report are by William Smyth, mate, and Richard Belcher. 
Following is the list of species: 
Nominal species. 
Page. 
Plate and figure. 
Present identification. 
PI. XVIII, fig. 2. 
Novaculichthys taeniurus. 
Hemirhamphus depaupcratus. 
Leiuranus semicinetus. 
Hemirhamphus depauperatux . 
Ophisurus xemicinctus . 
66 
66 
PI. XX, fig. 4. 
Monacanthus spilosoma . 
70 
PI. XXII, fig. 1. 
Stephanolepis spilosom us. 
The French corvette Bonitt visited the Hawaiian Islands and collected fishes there 
in 1837. The vessel was under command of L. Vail Ian t, with M. Kydoux, surgeon- 
major; L. Souleyet, assistant surgeon, and Henri Marie Ducrotay do Blaanville were 
intrusted with directing the work in zoology and reporting thereon. M. Souleyet, 
as assistant to M. Eydoux, assisted also in zoology, and when, near the termination 
of the voyage, M. Eydoux accepted-a position as physician at Martinique, Souleyet 
continued the work and duties previously performed by M. Eydoux.. M. Gaudi- 
ehaud (pharma fien-professeur) joined the expedition for researches in natural history, 
Evidently the awa, Chanos chanos. 
