Occurrence of Charybdea.—37. In the first tow on the bottom (with a net made of mosquito-netting and weighted with rocks in order to sink it) the haul was forty. I do not think that we could have been towing more than four or five minutes. The time was about seven A. M. A light breeze was blowing and there had been a heavy shower a half-hour previous.
38. The usual time of towing was about 6.30 to 7.30 A. M. The water was four to five feet (1.2 to 1.5 m.) nearest shore but deeper farther out. At this time of day one could count on getting plenty of the larger sized (15 to 20 mm.), many small ones, but very few of the smallest. This was the experience of several mornings.
On August 12th I towed about nine A. M., and got but few of the larger sized, many small ones, and very many of the smallest.
The next day (7.00 to 7.45 A. M.) those obtained were mostly of the larger size. On the same day (3 P. M.) others of the party towed at the same place and obtained but few.
On another day I towed in the afternoon (3 to 4 P. M.) and obtained great numbers as I usually did in the morning.
39. We towed about 7.30 to 8.30 at night. Very few Charybdeæ were taken. On this evening we towed five times in the same locality, and obtained but seven or eight specimens. Towing with the same net on our way home, it was filled with Aureliæ and five or six Charybdeæ. It seems as if Charybdea came to the surface at night. Those towed in the evening were dead the next morning.
The next morning Richard, our colored attendant, towed from 5.30 to 6.30. There were heavy showers. The usual find of large and medium ones was obtained. There were only two with planulae.
40. The material of September 2nd was obtained about six A. M. They were mostly of large size. In all only fifteen or twenty were taken. Richard explained the small number by saying that the bottom had changed in the locality where we usually towed and that he got no weeds in his net, but mud.
The next day more were brought in by Richard (6.30 A. M.) There were rather more than yesterday but the quality was the same. There were three with planulae.
On another morning Richard brought in a great many, about a hundred. Among these there were three with planulae (light-colored and budding); on a previous day there was one with the reddish-brown kind and with a mouth.