Friday, July 1. Lat. 34° 48' Lon. 30° 04' About noon a floating oil-cask was discovered To leeward, and being steered for was soon reached. Around it were playing a num- ber of a beautiful fish, the Dolphin (Co- syphona), the first we had seen. When the cask was taken aboard, the lower surface was found covered with Mollusca, of a very large size, among which were numerous fine large specimens of the crab also found in the Gulf weed, (Nautilograpus minutus) A filament- Menters Alga covered the water line of floatation of the cask. The staves which were submersed were bored in every direction by Serodes ( ) Saturday, July 2. Lat. 35° 32' Lon. 28° 46' Sunday, July 3. Lat. 35° 51' Lon. 28° 08' This day it was calm, or nearly so, and much intercourse was carried on between the different vessels of the Squadron. In the afternoon the "John Hancock" having the bene- fet of steam-power, left us for Madeira. The calm also gave me an opportunity of collecting Pelagic animals by means of the tow-net of gauze. In the afternoon and especially in the evening, marine in- vertebrates were particularly abundant. For- skoda occurred, as a general thing, in the evening, or after dark, alone. Monday, July 4. Lat. 36° 01' Lon. 27° 46' The Anniversary was celebrated, on board our ship, by a collation in the Commodore's Cabin to which the officers of the Squadron were invited. The crews enjoyed a dinner of preserved meats. The calm still continues. The animals obtained during this calm were nearly as follows: Medusa Large specimens of Pelagia cyanella (See Ecksholts.) frequently occurred, and a yellowish-green, globular Aurelia was ex- ceedingly common, as was also a small pale rose-coloured Fergonia, and several oth- ers whose genus could not be discovered, from their minuteness, and the circumstan- ces under which they were observed. An occasional specimen of Physalia, Velella, and Peripata was seen passing, those of the last-mentioned genus being never more than one-fourth of an inch in diameter. Diphyides