Hong Kong, China April 1854 19th Austere fine day. I went to the entrance of the harbor, or rather to its northern part, and using the large dredge on a shelly bottom, had considerable success. I had hitherto met with no single Asterias since arriving in China, but today found a Goniaster, a Luidia and an Astropecten. This shows how little our ideas upon the fauna of any locality can be relied upon, unless founded upon constant searchings in all varieties of station, for a period of some length. Had we sailed yesterday I might have left this place thinking that the family "Asteriadae" was not represented here. Many additional species of fish, and a few crabs (as Calappa) were obtained today by boarding the little trawling-boats which were at work in different parts of the Bay. The Chinamen seem to leave no part of the bottom untouched. Among other objects of interest dredged today were a Nalegorium, Vesicularia, small Spogdia, Cornularia etc. Hong Kong, China April 1854 20th Spent in the examination of the polypes taken yesterday. 21st Dredging in the muddy bays up to Ward Cap-sing-Mon Passage. In the trawling boats I found a Luidia two feet in diameter, of which the Solaster of the 19th is probably the young. It had the self destructive propensity of its genus, for when laid upon deck it commenced slowly constricting its arms at various points, towards the extremities at first, and then gradually upwards, thus breaking up by installments of about an inch at a time. By the time we reached the slip, only the disk and short pieces of the disk were left. I also dredged today a large Pisosus? Amphidetus? and several additional Decapods, the species of which in this locality are exceedingly numerous, more so probably than in any other part of the world. Several Ranella of various species were also found. My man "Salvador Felky" now accompanies me on all my excursions. He has no great inclination