for
sea with all expedition; and stores and provisions being taken on board,
sailed down the river on the 30th of July, and on the 13th of August
anchored in Plymouth Sound.

While we lay here waiting for a wind, the articles of war and the act of
parliament were read to the ship's company, who were paid two months'
wages in advance, and told that they were to expect no additional pay
for the performance of the voyage.

On Friday the 26th of August, the wind becoming fair, we got under sail,
and put to sea. On the 31st, we saw several of the birds which the
sailors call Mother Carey's Chickens, and which they suppose to be the
forerunners of a storm; and on the next day we had a very hard gale,
which brought us under our courses, washed overboard a small boat
belonging to the boatswain, and drowned three or four dozen of our
poultry, which we regretted still more.

On Friday the 2d of September we saw land between Cape Finisterre and
Cape Ortegal, on the coast of Gallicia, in Spain; and on the 5th, by an
observation of the sun and moon, we found the latitude of Cape
Finisterre to be 42 deg. 53' north, and its longitude 8 deg. 46' west, our first
meridian being always supposed to pass through Greenwich; variation of
the needle 21 deg. 4' west.

During this course, Mr Banks and Dr Solander had an opportunity of
observing many marine animals, of which no naturalist has hitherto taken
notice; particularly a new species of the _oniscus_, which was found
adhering to the _medusa pelagica_; and an animal of an angular figure,
about three inches long, and one thick, with a hollow passing quite
through it, and a brown spot on one end, which they conjectured might be
its stomach; four of these adhered together by their sides when they
were taken, so that at first they were thought to be one animal; but
upon being put into a glass of water they soon separated, and swam about
very briskly. These animals are of a new genus, to, which Mr Banks and
Dr Solander gave the name of _Dagysa_, from the likeness of one species
of them to a gem. Several specimens of them were taken adhering together
sometimes to the length of a yard or more, and shining in the water with
very beautiful colours. Another animal of a new genus they also
discovered, which shone in the water with colours still more beautiful
and vivid, and which indeed exceeded in variety and brightness any thing
that we had ever seen: The colouring and splendour of these animal