August 24.

Some of the eel-like fish, two or three shrimps, a new species of dypha, various kinds of crabs, and a large species of Physalis, were caught today.

August 25.

Caught various kinds of crabs, some minute shells, and a small curious insect, quite new to me, of a bright blue colour; the shrimps appear to be very fond of these insects, seizing them the instant they are put into the glass with them.  We caught shrimps of all colours and sizes, many of them very beautiful; some were of a pale gold colour with bright blue spots; others with different shades of brown, and blue, white, or red spots.  They all turned a dark red on being put into spirits.  The smaller kinds had a round ball or excrescence on one side just below the head.  I observed today that the eel-fish carries its eggs in a bag under the belly; the eggs were of a bright red colour.  Two barnacles were caught; also a new and very remarkable fish.

August 28.

Caught today two of the fish of the same kind as the one taken on the 25th.  It had a dorsal fin with 14 spines; a ventral fin; a tail, 16 spines; and in addition to these it had four pectoral fins resembling the claws of a frog, which it used much in the same manner that a lizard uses its claws.  The upper pair of these were divided into two joints, the lower one of which was a perfect hand, terminating in ten claws, with which it could seize hold of any object, or expand and use it as a broad paddle, or fin.  At the point where these arms are inserted into the body and immediately behind them are placed two tubes, one behind each arm.  These form its gills, through which it expels the water taken in at its mouth; the lower pair of arms have only one apparent joint, and each of these hands are furnished with five claws; it has two protuberances which look like horns, one projects immediately between the eyes, and the other is situated between this and the dorsal fin, these are covered with little spines and it carries them erect.  Its colour is pale yellow with brown spots and stripes on it; the spots about the head and upper arms are much darker than the others; about the stomach are little things resembling the wattles of the wattle-bird, they are of a brilliant white colour.  It feeds on small shrimps, climbs about the weeds like a lizard, and at times swims like a fish and is very rapid and strong in its motions.  It swells out the membranes about the spot where its gills ought to be, so as to puff itself out like a toad when it takes water in:  its colour resembles that of the common English frog, and it looks remarkably like one when it sits on a piece of weed, resting on its claws and puffing out its cheeks.  There are several lines of red stripes at the bottom of its stomach.

We caught also a great many shrimps and crabs; some of the shrimps were boiled and proved to be very good eating.

August 30.

At 5 hours 30 minutes P.M. a pine tree passed us, covered with barnacles and surrounded by fish, which swam about this floating island, eating such things as fell from it.