e, but the great majority
were new.

Many of the medusae and small gelatinous animals must be endowed with
very acute sensibilities and perceptions, for they evinced extreme
timidity if any substance approached them, and when plunged alive into
spirits, their rapid movements and violent contortions repeatedly
indicated acute pain; indeed so clearly that on this point there could be
no mistake.

A mass of gelatinous animals, caught this day, gave out a slight electric
shock. Some of them were shaped like the portions of an orange, and they
evidently were formed to fit into one another in the manner in which they
were found, although they separated directly they were touched.

July 2. South latitude 35 degrees 58 minutes; east longitude 17 degrees
54 minutes.

This day the ship went so fast that we could not catch anything. The
acalephae were not so numerous as they had been further to the north, but
we saw more and larger medusae than I had ever before remarked. It indeed
appeared as if the acalephae diminished and the medusae increased in
number after passing the 36th degree of south latitude.

July 12. ) South latitude 23 degrees 2 minutes; east longitude 0 degrees
26 minutes 45 seconds.
July 13. ) South latitude 21 degrees 55 minutes; west longitude 0 degrees
44 minutes.

The vessel went slowly through the water, but although the net was kept
towing we could catch nothing, and there was no appearance of anything
being in the sea.

July 14. South latitude 20 degrees 52 minutes; west longitude 1 degree 49
minutes.

This day we caught a Velella of the following dimensions:

Length of interior cartilage 1.1 inches.
Breadth of interior cartilage 0.5 inches.
Total length of blue base 1.7 inches.
Breadth of blue base 1.0 inches.
Height of centre of crest 0.5 inches.
Rim round crest, in breadth 0.55 inches.

This animal differed from those caught on the 11th November 1837, in the
following particulars: It was much larger. The base of the animal
consisted of two parts. The centre portion was an elliptically-formed
cartilage, elevated in the centre, and marked with eighteen concentric
striae, which became thinner and thinner as they approached the centre.
No striae were visible on the elevated crest with which the animal swims,
but this crest was furnished or fringed with a thin moveable flap, 0.55
inches in breadth, which ran quite round it. The animal has the power of
flapping this to and fro constantly, as a