Narrative of the Voyage of H.M.S. Rattlesnake Volume I Part 30

Near Kororareka Bay, by Fox's Needle A, corrected for index error: 59 37 6 S.

Near Kororareka Bay, by Fox's Needle B, corrected for index error: 59 44 2 S.

Near Kororareka Bay, by Fox's Needle C, corrected for index error: 59 28 1 S.

Mean: 59 36 6 S.

EAST FALKLAND ISLAND.

Near the Chaplain's House at Stanley, by Fox's Needle A, corrected for index error: 52 19 6 S.

Near the Chaplain's House at Stanley, by Fox's Needle B, corrected for index error: 51 43 3 S.

Near the Chaplain's House at Stanley, by Fox's Needle C, corrected for index error: 50 58 8 S.

Mean: 51 40 6 S.

Zh Observation spot of the Erebus and Terror near the old settlement, Berkeley Sound, by Fox's Needle B, corrected for index error: 51 25 6 S.

FAYAL, AZORES.

In the Consul's garden, Horta, by Fox's Needle B, corrected for index error: 66 58 4 N.

In the Consul's garden, Horta, by Fox's Needle A, corrected for index error: 67 26 9 N.

Mean: 67 12 6 N.

The following absolute determinations of the magnetic disinclination were made with a declinometer, and A.M. and P.M. azimuths of the sun:

William Town, Port Phillip: 9 10 52 E.

Lagoon Bay, Port Dalrymple, Van Diemen's Land: 10 29 16 E.

Garden Island, Port Jackson, March and April 1848: 9 6 43 E.

Mound Islet, Rockingham Bay, North-east Coast of Australia: 6 19 43 E.

Lizard Island, North-east Coast of Australia: 5 46 7 E.

Evans Bay, Cape York, North coast of Australia: 4 42 31 E.

Garden Island, Port Jackson,March and April 1849: 10 9 10 E.

Moreton Island, East coast of Australia: 9 21 14 E.

Coral Haven, Louisiade Archipelago: 7 44 17 E.

Duchateau Isles, Louisiade Archipelago: 7 44 17 E.

Bramble Cay, South-east Coast of New Guinea: 4 22 37 E.

Kororareka Bay, Bay of Islands, New Zealand: 13 27 20 E.

Stanley, East Falkland Island, July 1850: 16 54 46 E.

APPENDIX 4.

ACCOUNT OF THE POLYZOA AND SERTULARIAN ZOOPHYTES, COLLECTED IN THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. RATTLESNAKE, ON THE COASTS OF AUSTRALIA AND THE LOUISIADE ARCHIPELAGO, ETC. BY GEORGE BUSK, ESQUIRE F.R.S.

This collection includes about eighty-five species, distributed in twenty-nine genera, and may perhaps be regarded as the largest and most interesting of the kind ever brought to this country.

When it is stated that seventy-eight of the species are new or undescribed, the number will appear extraordinarily great, but when the comparatively neglected state of exotic Zoophytology is considered the wonder will be much diminished, and still further, as it may safely be a.s.sumed, that many of the species here given as new have been previously noticed, though so insufficiently described, as in the absence of figures not to admit of correct identification.

Making, however, a considerable deduction on this account, the remainder will still stamp the present collection with extreme value. As an instance, may be cited the genus Catenicella, of which this collection affords about fifteen species, and of which certainly not more than three have been previously noticed in any way, and of these no sufficient descriptions or figures are extant by which even that small number could be identified. The explanation of this is perhaps to be sought in the circ.u.mstance that the species of Catenicella are deepsea forms, and only to be obtained by dredging in deep water--very few being apparently found on the sh.o.r.es.

Though the number of new or supposed new species is so great, the number of new genera is comparatively small, not amounting to more than four. It has, however, been found necessary considerably to modify the characters of several other established genera, so as to include new species.

With respect to the geographical distribution of the species, my means of comparison have been pretty extensive. They have been derived from the examination of Mr. Darwin's and Dr. Hooker's collections, placed at my disposal by the kind liberality of Mr. Darwin--a considerable collection of South African species mainly procured from Mr. Bowerbank--and from the Collection of British and exotic Zoophytes in the British Museum, for the freest opportunities of examining which I have to thank Mr. Gray. From these various sources, and others of less account, I have been able to examine species from a very considerable extent of the earth's surface--more especially in the Southern hemisphere, and to arrive perhaps at as fair a view of the geographical distribution of species as the present imperfect state of Zoophytology will allow.

POLYZOA.

The number of species of Polyzoa is about fifty-four--belonging to twenty-four genera. Of these genera it is believed that four will be found to be new, or hitherto undescribed, and it has been deemed requisite to modify the characters of several others upon the more extended survey of species afforded mainly by the present collection. The new genera here inst.i.tuted are:

Calpidium.

Diachoris.

Didymia.

Dimetopia.

And the genera whose characters it has been found requisite to modify are:

Catenicella.

Salicornaria.

Cellularia.

Scrupocellaria.

Bicellaria.

Canda.

Emma.

Acamarchis.

Caberea.

Of the twenty-four genera, three, or perhaps four, appear to be peculiar to the Australian seas. These are:

Calpidium.

Canda ?

Didymia.

Dimetopia.

All the rest, excepting two, Emma and Diachoris, appear to be distributed over the globe in both hemispheres. The above two are perhaps limited to the southern.