75 
small organisms. It is, to my knowledge, the first time that a diver 
has been used to any considerable extent for scientific collecting. 
The result was so successful that it is to be highly recommended 
for future work. To point out the advantages in employing a diver 
for biological collecting is superfluous — everybody sees it for him- 
self. There is no doubt that a future biological station in these regions 
must have an expert diver in its staff. Not that a diver will make 
dredging superfluous — of course not; but diver and dredging will 
supplement each other most excellently and convey a much more 
complete knowledge of the bottom fauna than can be obtained through 
one of those means alone. 
Among the more prominent forms of animal life thus obtained 
in the water between the Islands of Neira, Lontor and Goenoeng 
Api I may name especially the Asteroids Culcita, Choriaster and 
Linckia. The Culcita’s, the larger ones up to 20 cm in diameter, 
and often gorgeously coloured, disclosed the most interesting faet 
of having nearly constantly a large Fierasfer (sometimes two spec- 
imens) within their body cavity. Only a single specimen (some 
twenty specimens opened) was found to contain no Fierasfer. 
Also at Amboina and the Kei Islands this parasite was found in 
Culcita, but much less commonly, the conditions at Banda thus 
evidently being especially favourable to it. (Also in various mussels, 
as well as in Holothurians Fierasfers were observed). This oceur- 
rence of Fierasfer, in the body cavity of Culcita (first mentioned 
by Bleekers, 1854*) is much more remarkable than its oceur- 
p rence in Holothurians or in mussels; while in these latter forms 
‘II has free entrance and exit, it seems rather enigmatic how it 
starfish. Its anal opening being, as in other starfishes, 
'v very small so as hardly to allow the fish to enter, even as very 
young, the only possible entrance would appear to be through the 
mouth of the starfish, and then it must evidently break through 
the Wall of the oesophagus or the stomach. Direct observations 
in an aquarium would probably settie the question very easily. 
The possibility, of course, exists that the starfish is able to widen 
its anal opening very considerably so as to allow the fish to enter 
this way, but also in that case it would have to break through the 
*) Bleekers: lets over visschen levende in Zeesterren. Tijdschr. voor 
Nederl. Indié. 1854. p. 162. 
