I found a sort of worm in the coral which had the power of extending its head like an English worm; its body then appeared to be composed of two portions, the fore part being much slighter than the other. Its dimensions were:
Length of fore part of body 0.4 inch.
Length of hind part 0.6 inch.
Breadth, or diameter of cylinder 0.1 inch.
In the coral there was also another insect, not unlike a centipede.
Length 0.9 inch.
Breadth at head 0.08 inch.
In the inmost recesses of the coral there was a minute bivalve shell and also a very minute species of crab.
One remarkable circumstance relating to St. Helena is that it is of a basaltic formation exactly resembling that of the Isle of France and the North-west of New Holland; and that, although so widely separated in longitude, these places lie in nearly the same latitude.
When you quit the sandstone ranges of the North-west of Australia reptiles which have been before very numerous at once become scarce. I never saw a snake in this great basaltic district although there were plenty in the sandstone. This however is only negative evidence. Brookes, in his History of St. Helena (second edition page 24) says: "There are neither frogs, toads, nor snakes in the island." In the Isle of Bourbon there are neither toads nor snakes. In the Mauritius likewise there are neither toads nor snakes, and only one species of frog, whilst the bones of the land tortoise (Testudo indica) are only found in a fossil state. Also, the highest land in St. Helena is 2800 feet; in the Mauritius about 2900 feet (scarcely); and in the volcanic district of North-west Australia about the same height.
July 26. At sea.
We caught a great variety of shrimp-like animals; these little things when disturbed emitted a brilliant phosphorescent light. We saw scarcely any gelatinous animals.
July 29.