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Transcription
26
1853
bands of twenty or thirty feet in breadth,
in which they were thickly crowded, while
in the interspaces they were sparingly
distributed. These bands were a few
hundred feet apart, and accorded
in direction with the wind. They were
brightly luminous from the contained
animals, and presented a beautiful
appearance, as a diagram, seen from
the tops. But the wake of the
ship was the most remarkable spec-
tacle; presenting, from the stern to
a point a long way astern, a milky
way of yellow light, containing bright
stars which increased in number or
strained out as the ship approached
or receded from the bands of Tyros
ones. The darting of these animals,
or the quick jerks in which their mo-
tion consist, being often simultaneous
in small groups, gave a singular
appearance; something a flight of
small rockets: - this also at first
carused us to think that schools
of fish were following the vessel.
Other animals seen were much-tu-
dudes of Nyctea urcinata, a few
1853
27
of H. longirostra, several Cladocera,
and a large number of crustaceans
among which the curious genus Phyl-
losoma occurred. A number of the
curious water skippers previously taken
on July 24th, also occurred.
Monday, (Aug. 8th) S.Lat. 3° 43' W.Long. 22° 51'
Tuesday, Aug. 9. S.Lat. 2° 35' W.Long. 24° 28'
This evening the tow-net took a living Ar-
gonata, with its shell, containing eggs.
Wednesday Aug 10 S.Lat. 0° 36' W.Long. 25° 41'
Between seven and eight o'clock this
evening we crossed the line, in 26° W.
Thursday, Aug. 11. S.Lat. 1° 10' W.Long. 26° 5½'
In the evening the tow-net took a sin-
gle specimen of Nyctea trispinosa
Friday, Aug 12. S.Lat. 3° 1½' W.Long. 28° 08'
The wind has continued strong for the last
week, but enables us only to head S.W.
Saturday, Aug. 13. S.Lat. 5° 08' W.Long. 29° 24'