, body gelatinous,
intestines apparent and full.
November 16. Longitude 102 degrees 40 minutes east; latitude 28 degrees 5
to 6 minutes south.
Since we have passed the 95th parallel of longitude, and 32nd of latitude
up to the present moment we have been out of the region of birds, for
during the whole of this period I have seen but two, one of which, a
Petrel, has this moment visited us. We have however seen more
Sea-jellies, Acalepha and Mollusca than before, and those of a much more
beautiful kind. Thus nature has made up for the deficiency of one tribe
of animals by the profuseness with which she has distributed another.
November 18. Latitude 26 degrees 57 minutes south; longitude 105 degrees
22 minutes east.
We caught a crustaceous animal (Phyllosoma, see Illustration 11) which
was perfectly transparent; it was furnished with twelve legs on what I
considered the hinder part of its body, and four antennae in front, which
have their tips of a bright pink colour, and two eye peduncles by their
side, which terminate in little bags containing some blue matter (their
eyes). It was furnished also with two legs underneath. These are just
shown in the figure near the centre of the body, and between those
underneath the insect there was a slight projection, with two little
lumps on each side. In this projecting part there appeared to be an
opening. When it was taken out of the water it stood upright on its legs
and crawled a little like a large beetle, but soon died. In the water it
swam with the legs, and the last joint appeared to be feathered. It will
be seen that there is a great irregularity in the position of the legs of
this insect. The specimen appeared to me to be in some respects
imperfect; but I figured it exactly as it was, without blindly guessing
at its perfect state. It was not thicker than the thinnest wafer. The
back was marked with curved lines, exactly in the manner I have
represented. It shrank instantly when touched. The two last joints of the
long legs were furnished with thorn-like spikes.
Length of tail 0.37 inches.
of the body 0.2 inches.
of the thorax and head 0.3 inches.
of the entire animal 1.4 inches.
Breadth of body 0.62 inches.
Ditto of thorax 0.51 inches.
Length of third leg 1.9 inches.
Length of second leg 1.7 inches.
Length of hindermost leg 0.6 inches.
Length of eyes, peduncles 0.4 inches.
We caught a second animal of exactly the same size as the one figured,
but apparentl
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