he 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.

No portion of the globe is more thickly inhabited, or affords, in
proportion to its size, a greater amount of animal enjoyment than did
this wave-tossed isle. On it were innumerable barnacles, several species
of teredo, one of which, having its head shaped like a screw split into
two equal portions, I believe to have been quite new. Many varieties of
crab and minute insects shaped like a slug fed on the seaweed growing on
the log.

These last animals were of different lengths. They were shaped like a
caterpillar and composed of fifty-six rings; the stomach could only be
distinguished from the b