We also caught a species of small Janthina, nearly resembling those we had found before, but they were larger; moreover the species of barnacle attached to them was totally different from any we had before found, as if each species of nautilus had its own kind of parasite.  This is worthy of attention.

August 8.

We found a species of Halobates which swam rapidly with the short legs foremost, and the foremost legs appeared to be furnished with a fringe to give them that power.  The colour of the legs, dark prussian blue; body of a silver colour in front, with a prussian blue colour behind; under part of the body, near the tail, three consecutive striae of a silver colour, separated from one another by a line of prussian blue.  I have never seen this animal before.

August 9.

Caught two or three small insects, somewhat resembling a bug, of a dirty brick colour and several minute species of Diphyes and small jellyfish.

August 19.

Caught a small Janthina nearly resembling those we had formerly seen, also a small crab, two new species of gelatinous animals, and a Velella.

August 20.

Several fish, resembling an eel in shape, were caught today; they were of different sizes, and some of them gave a slight shock on being touched.  They were marked across the back with alternate striae of silver, and various shades of brown and black, though there were scarce two marked exactly alike.  They had a transparent dorsal and two pectoral fins, which were all I observed, and a long thin snout or beak; the mouth was just at the end of it, on the top:  some of them were thorny on the back; we caught also some crabs; a very minute blue fish; a black and red insect resembling a flea; a species of Diphyes; a very small kind of polypus; and one or two small jellyfish.  A land bird flew on board today.

In 26 degrees north latitude we entered a portion of the sea covered with patches of seaweed, around which swarmed numerous eel-like fish, crabs, shrimps, and little blue fish; these last swam under those floating islands, sometimes leaving them for a little distance, but they always returned or swam to another:  the crabs crawled in and out amongst the seaweed, and other fish of a large size came to these spots to deposit their spawn, so that we were in an archipelago of floating islands teeming with busy inhabitants and animal enjoyment.

August 21.

There were a great many crabs of different kinds and sizes caught today; two kinds of shrimps, one marked across with alternate striae of silver and dark brown; it had no antennae, and had apparently been hurt, as I could only see some very short legs; the rest appeared to be of the same kind as others recently caught, except being of a lighter colour.  Some eel-fish of the same kind as yesterday.  There were two other small blue insects caught; unfortunately none have been preserved as they were put in the same glass with the shrimps and were instantly eaten by them.  The crabs also ate two small blue fish that were caught.  No jellyfish were seen.