Chapter 16

No place could be more convenient for the observation of the Mollusca and Radiata than Cape Venus. At a few hundred paces from the shore is a coral reef, which at low water is completely dry. In the shoal water, between the reef and the shore, is found the greatest variety of the more brittle kinds of coral, and among their sometimes thick bushes, mollusca and echinodermes lie concealed. The rapid movements of a small _Strombus_, which, when taken, beat about it with its shell, formed like a thin plate of horn, and armed with sharp teeth, were very curious. On breaking the stone which is formed by fragments of coral, a _Sternaspis_ was found burrowing in the interior. Seven classes of Holothuria were examined; three belonged to the species of _Holothuria_, called by Lamarck _Fistularia_, but which name had already been given by Linnæus to the tobacco-pipe fish; the fourth was a species newly discovered, and to which we appropriated the name of _Odontopyga_, because the fundament is armed with five calcareous teeth; the belly is furnished with small tubes, and the back covered with bumps. Two more belong to the species _Thyone_; and the seventh kind of Holothuria ought, properly speaking, to form a class apart, not having tubular feet, but adhering, by means of their sharp skin, to extraneous objects, on which account they might be called _Sinapta_; their feelers are fringed and they live concealed among stones. We found five small kinds of sea-leeches; and among three kinds of star-fish, the _Asterias Echinites_, the large radii of which easily inflict a severe wound; another had the form of the _Asterias Luna_, was eight inches in diameter, without radii, and had more the appearance of a round loaf of bread somewhat flattened. Of corals, the variety was very great, as may be judged from the circumstance of our having collected twenty-four kinds within so short a space of time. _Fungia_ is quite at home here; for, independently of _F. agariciformis_, _scutaria_, and _limacina_, a long kind was also found, having, like the two former, only one central cavity; they are found in shallow water among other corals. Of tabular corals already known, there remain to be mentioned, _Pavonia boletiformis_, _Madrepora prolifera abrotanoides_, _corymbosa_, _plantaginea_, and _pocillifera_.

The inhabitants of the Navigator Isles brought us the little _Psittacus australis_, _Columba australis_, and another very prettily marked dove, having green plumage, ornamented with a dark violet line across the breast, and the feet and head of a reddish purple. It climbed about the sides and roof of its cage, did not leave its perch when it wanted to drink, but stooped down so low as merely to hang by its legs; it would not eat seed, but lived principally on fruit, particularly bananas, all which closely agreed with the habits of parrots.

During our passage to the equator, _Sterna solida_ and _Dysporus Sula_ alighted frequently on our vessel, and allowed themselves to be taken. The latter, when old, has a blue beak and red feet; when young, a red bill and flesh-coloured legs. The exterior nostrils are entirely wanting; but in every part are air-cells between the skin and the muscles.

Besides these animals, six varieties of _Pteropodes_ were caught; also a _Glaucus_, differing from that of the Atlantic _Janthina penicephala Per._, a _Planaria_, _Salpa vivipara Per._, a _Pyrosoma_, resembling that of the Atlantic, and a _Lepas_, attached to the shell of the _Janthina_. Our collection of Acalephi was extremely rich; of fourteen kinds taken, only one, _Physalia Lamartinieri_, was known to us.

Our eight days' stay at the coral island Otdia, afforded us an opportunity to observe or collect about one hundred different kinds of marine animals. It has already been mentioned elsewhere, that the only kind of mammalia found upon this island is a middling-sized cat, which feeds on the fruit of the pandanus tree, and makes its nest in the dead branches, which it easily hollows out. Several lizards have also been found in these islands, such as the striped _Ablepharus_ of O Tahaiti, and a small _Gecko_; a large coal-black lizard was several times seen, but always escaped among the dry pandanus leaves. The fishes are remarkable for the singularity of their form, and the beauty of their colours; those brought to us by the inhabitants belonged to the _Holocentrus_, _Scarus_, _Mullus_, _Chætodon_, _Heniochus_, _Amphacanthus_, _Theutis_, and _Fistularia_.

Of Crustacea we saw twenty different kinds; among them a _Gonoplax_ of the middling size, and as white as the coral-sand, among which it lives, on the shore. The _Hippopus_ found here differs from the _maculatus_ already known by the much greater elevation of its shell. The large _Tridachna_ is the _Tr. squamosa Lam._ It is very unusual to meet with an animal belonging to the family of Lepades in tubular holes made in the coral rocks, as is the case with the _Lithonaetta N._ Among the twenty kinds of tabular coral here observed, there was not one of those collected at O Tahaiti; there were three new _Distichoporæ_, _Seriatipora_, six kinds of _Madrepora_, two _Porites_, four _Astrea_, _Pocillopora cærulea_, and another kind, forming broad, yellow, leafy masses, the slime of which stings like a nettle; _Cariophyllæa glabrescens Cham._, and _Tubipora_, with red animalculæ.

A calm of several days, between eighteen and twenty degrees of north latitude, during our passage to Kamtschatka, afforded opportunities for the observation of several remarkable animals. A small animal of Lamarck's family of Heteropodes, with two rows of separate fins, received the name _Tomopteris_. Secondly, a _Salpa_, of the class which lives apart and has fine long fibres projecting from the hinder part of the body. Thirdly, a small animal, nearly allied to the _Diphyes_, the soft part of the body, which contains the tube for receiving nourishment, having no air-bladder. Fourthly, a small _Beroe_, having the power of drawing in its fins. Fifthly, a very small _Porpita_. The sixth animal was a very remarkable crab, the triangular shell on the back, only two lines in length, provided with a spike from eight to ten lines long, (_Lonchophorus anceps_,) projecting both before and behind. Professor Germar has given to a species of beetle the name _Lonchophorus_, but the same had already been described by Mac Leay, under the name of _Phanæus_. Seventhly, an animal belonging to the class _Arthrodiæ_, (_Arthronema N._) the exterior consisting of stiff tubes, in the interior of which is afterwards found a skin, which eventually divides into separate parts. Eighthly, a _Clio_, about a line in length, with a projection from the globular part of the body. Ninthly, a second variety of _Appendicularia_, described by my friend and companion, on board the Rurik, A. von Chamisso, in the tenth volume of the _N. Acta Acad. Leop. Car._, which proved to be a species of Mollusca belonging to the Heteropodes of Lamarck. Tenthly, a _Pelagia_, scarcely, if at all, to be distinguished from the _Panopyra Per._ Lastly, a new kind of _Cestum_, _C. Najadis N._

In the thirty-fourth degree of latitude, renewed calms again enabled us to add to our collection, firstly, a new species of Physsophorides (_Agalma N._); secondly, a new _Diphyes_; thirdly, a new _Pelagia_, with a yellow skin on the belly, attached to which was a small Cirrhipede of the class _Cineras_; fourthly, a Medusa, with broad belly-bags, and four strong fins; fifthly, a Medusa of the same species, with five and six fins; sixthly, a very small Entomostracea of a flat form, and distinguished by its blue glossy colour, similar to that of the _Hoplia farinosa_; seventhly, a _Loligo_, probably _cardioptera Per._, remarkable on account of the largeness of its eyes; eighthly, a second species of _Phyllirhoe_, placed by Lamarck among the Heteropodes, to which class it does not, however, belong. The species found in the South Sea has no eyes, and plain feelers; on which account it was formerly considered by us as forming a distinct class, and called _Eurydice_. But, although the _Phyllirhoe_ is found to vary so remarkably in its formation, owing to the want of feet, still I consider it as nearly allied to the _Eolidia_. Ninthly, a new _Glaucus_, of a remarkably slim body, with short fins, and of a blackish-blue colour. Tenthly, a _Eucharis N._ In addition to these, no less than eight Crustacea were taken in the net. In the vicinity of Kamtschatka, the vessel sailed daily through red masses floating on the surface; on drawing up some of the water, the pail was found full of red _Calanus_, a line and a half long, with rough feelers of the same length as the body.

In Kamtschatka we found the Bay of Awatscha poor in Mollusca and radiated animals, owing probably to the inconsiderable ebb and flood. The objects most frequently met with, were an ugly little _Turbo_, the empty shell of which was tenanted by a black _Pagurus_ and a _Balanus_. A large _Cyanea_ differs from the European _C. ciliata_, in the form of the stomach. Another Medusa, constituting a new kind of _Sthenonia N._, was observed; its digestive organs resemble those of the Aurelia; and about the edge, eight bunches of very long fibres project, provided, like those of the Physaliæ, with two rows of suckers.

The environs of St. Peter and St. Paul, lying under fifty-three degrees of north latitude, possess an insect Fauna, such as is in Europe only found in sixty and seventy degrees of latitude; as for instance, in Lapland and Finland. A great number of species are exactly similar in both regions; others of the Kamtschatkan insects have been met with nowhere else, except in Siberia, and a small number is quite peculiar to the former country. All have not yet been subjected to a diligent examination, and only the following can be with certainty mentioned.

Firstly, in the North of Europe also, are found: _Pteroloma Forstroemii Gyllh._, _Nebria arctica Dej._ (_hyperborea Schoenh._), _Blethisa multipunctata_, _Pelophila borealis_, _Elaphrus lapponicus_ and _riparius_, _Notiophilus aquaticus_, _Loricera pilicornis_, _Poecilus lepidus_, _Dyticus circumcinctus_, _Staphylinus maxillosus_, _Buprestis appendiculata_, _Elater holosericeus_, _Ptilinus pectinicornis_, _Necrophorus mortuorum_; _Silpha thoracica_, _lapponica_, _opaca_, and _atrata_; _Strongylus colon_, _Byrrhus albo-punctatus_, _dorsalis_, _varius_ and _aeneus_; _Hydrophilus scarabæoides_ and _melanocephalus_; _Cercyon aquaticum_, _Hister carbonarius_, _Psammodius sabuleti_, _Trichus fasciatus_, _Oedemera virescens_, _Apoderus Coryli_, _Leptura trifasciata_, _atra_ and _sanguinosa_, _Lema brunnea_, _Cassida rubiginosa_, _Chrysomela staphylæa_, _lapponica_, _ænea_, _viminalis_, _armoracea_ and _vitellinæ_; _Eumolpus obscurus_, _Cryptocephalus variegatus_, _Coccinella_ 7 _punctata_, 13 _punctata_, _mutabilis_, and 16 _guttata_. Secondly, such as have been hitherto found only in Siberia, though their number is but small: _Cantharis annulata Fisch._, _Dermestes domesticus Gebl._, _Aphodius ursinus N._, and _A. maurus Gebl._, and _Leptura sibirica_.

Among the beetles which have as yet been met with nowhere else, and are therefore considered peculiar to the country, may be named: a _Cicindela_, between _hybrida_ and _maritima_; a _Carabus_ of the form of the _cancellatus Illig._, with black feelers and legs; _C. Clerkii N._, and another, green, with gold border, of the form of the _catenulatus_, caught near the line of perpetual snow on the volcano Awatscha: _C. Hoffmanni N._, _Nebria nitidula_, which is the same as the _Carabus nitidulus Fabr._, as appears by that preserved in Banks's Museum, hitherto the only specimen in Europe; great numbers of these are found in the valleys: a second black sort was caught on the volcano. Further, a small bright yellow _Pteroloma_, an _Elaphrus_, _Bembidia_ six kinds, _Agonum_ four kinds, an _Omaseus_, an _Amara_, _Elater scabricollis Esch. Entomogr._; an _Elater_, like _undulatus_ P., three kinds, which like _Bructeri_, live among stones; a wingless kind which is found buried in the sea-sand, and a perfectly black _Campylus_.

Besides these, a beetle forming a peculiar species between _Atopa_ and _Cyphon_; _Cantharis cembricola Esch._, and one resembling the _testacea_; a _Hylecoetus_, scarcely differing from _dermestoides_; _Catops_; a _Heterocerus_, broad and covered with whitish scales; an _Elophorus_; two _Phaleriæ_ with a black ground; two kinds of _Stenotrachelis_, both larger than the European, which has hitherto borne the name of _Dryops ænea_; and in fact, the beetle in Banks's Museum, so called by Fabricius, is either the same, or a species very nearly resembling it, and it may therefore be conjectured that some mistake has accidentally occurred in the designation of its native country in that Museum. There still remain to be mentioned a Chrysomela, like the _pyritosa_, and a _Coccinella_ with five very large spots upon both wing-covers, found on the line of perpetual snow on the volcano. It is also probable that the valley of the Kamtschatka river, although lying farther north than the environs of the Awatscha, yet possesses a richer in sect Fauna, as the climate there is much milder, and adapted to agriculture.

From Kamtschatka our course lay mostly eastward. At first the sea was strongly luminous every night; but when in the midst of this immense ocean, it one night happened, that while the ship was as usual surrounded by brilliant waves, a dark precipice seemed to open before it. On reaching this part of the water, it appeared that all the luminous matters, such as Zoophytes and Mollusca with their spawn, were entirely wanting, and from this point to the American coast the sea remained dark.

We remarked generally of this great ocean, that on the Asiatic coast, even at a considerable distance from land, (as much as thirty degrees west from Japan,) the water is always muddy; it is made so, partly by the great numbers of small Crustacea, Zoophytes, and Mollusca, partly by the impurities of the whales and dolphins, which latter especially, as well as many other kinds of fish, are very numerous here from the abundance of food to be found. On the contrary, the sea in the neighbourhood of the north-west coast of America is clear and transparent, and nothing is found in it except here and there a single Medusa.

In the principal settlement of the Russian-American Trading Company on the island of Sitcha, in Norfolk Sound, we had better opportunities of becoming acquainted with natural productions than elsewhere, as, during our stay there, in the year 1825, from March to the middle of August, we had an almost uninterrupted continuation of fine weather: we were in this respect peculiarly favoured, as in most years this island does not enjoy above one fine day to fourteen cloudy or wet ones. We ourselves experienced this sort of weather in 1824, when we passed the latter part of August and the beginning of September there.

Of the Fauna of this island, about two hundred and sixty species came under our notice: from its immediate vicinity to the continent, it is not wonderful that several large _mammalia_ are to be found. Among these is the _Ursus Americanus_, of the black race; a fox; a stag, which perhaps does not differ from the _Cervus virginianus_, and the common beaver, which feeds on the large leaves of a _Pothos_, said by the inhabitants to be injurious to man. Besides these are observed a small _Vespertilio_ with short ears, a _Mustela_, and a _Phoca_.

Of birds we remarked: the _Aquila leucocephala_, _Astur_, _Corvus Corone_ and _Stelleri_, and some varieties of the species _Turdus_, _Sylvia_, _Troglodytes_, _Parus_, _Alcedo_, _Picus_, _Ardea_, _Hæmatopus_, _Scolopax_, _Charadrius_, _Anas_, and _Colymbus_. _Trochilus rufus_ is not only often found here, but also under sixty degrees of latitude. A small shoal of _Procellaria furcata_ was once driven into the Bay by stormy weather. Of Amphibia, only a small kind of toad is met with. There is no great variety in the kinds of fish, but the individuals are numerous, especially a well-flavoured sort of salmon, and herrings; a _Pleuronectes_ several feet long, and a reddish yellow _Perca_ two feet long and very thick, are extremely abundant.

The number of accurately examined _Annulides_ amounts to sixteen, among which are found some of very fine and unknown forms. Most of them belong to the well-known species _Cirrhatulus_, _Arenicola_, _Aceronereis_, _Nereis_, _Aphrodita_, _Serpula_, _Amphitrite_. A _Nereis_ was found swimming on the surface of the water in the middle of the bay, which measured two feet in length, and one inch in thickness; the appendages at its sides resemble round leaves. An _Aphrodita_ several inches long, and very narrow, was not rare. An animal resembling the Amphitrite kind is found enveloped in a transparent mass like jelly.

Of Mollusca we observed, a _Limacina_; two _Eolidiæ_, some of which have very beautiful colours; a _Laniogerus_; a _Polycera_; four kinds of _Doris_; a _Scyllæa_; an animal which deserves the name of _Planaria_, it was three inches long, two broad, and only half a line thick; on the upper surface, half an inch from the edge, are two projecting eyes; and in the same part, on the surface beneath, the mouth may be perceived; in the middle of this under surface is another aperture, from which the animal, when in a tranquil state, frequently strecthes out four small folds of skin; this creature, like the _Planariæ_, crawls very nimbly. Besides these, a small _Onichidium_, and a new kind of shelled snail.

In the mossy woods live a large, yellowish, black-spotted _Limax_, and two Helices of middling size. In the bay itself are found a few of the gilled snails with spiral shells; and a considerable number on the outward coast, which is washed by the ocean. Here are several species of the genera _Murex_, _Fusus_, _Buccinum_, _Mitra_, _Trochus_, and _Turbo_. Further, there are found here a large _Fissurella_, and six species of a genus which, from its simple, unwound shell, would be immediately taken for a _Patella_; the creature, however, closely resembles the _Fissurella_, with the difference that only one gill is visible in the fissure over the neck. It is remarkable, that on the whole north-west coast of America down to California, no _Patella_, only animals of the genus _Acmæa_, were to be met with. Of the _Chiton_ genus, six species were observed; in one, the side skin covers the edges of the shell so far as to leave only a narrow strip of it visible down the back; in others, the shell is entirely concealed under the external skin. It is worthy of remark, that these latter, as well as one similarly formed, found in California, attain the considerable length of eight inches. A third kind, to be reckoned among this subdivision, Pallas obtained from the Kurile Islands, and has described it as _Chiton amiculatus_.

Among the Acephala are to be named a large _Cardium_, also found on the Californian coast; _Modiolus_, two species; _Mytilus_; _Mya_, two species; and _Teredo palmulatus_: the latter, which is brought here by the ships, is very mischievous in the harbour, and attains to the length of two feet. In this species are comprehended three _Ascidiæ_, of different forms; one _Anomia_, one _Terebratula_ attached to a _Fusus_, two _Lepas_, and a _Balanus_. Six _Holothuria_, belonging to three different species, were observed: a large _Thalassema_ gave us a long-wished for opportunity of observing, that this species belongs to the Holothuria, and not to the Annulides. Eight species of star-fish are found here, partly on the rocks, and partly at the bottom of the sea: among them, four are furnished with five _radii_, and the rest with six, ten, eleven, and eighteen: the latter sort, which is the largest, lives at the bottom of the sea, and the number of its _radii_ varies from eighteen to twenty-one. Only one _Ophiura_ was seen. Several kinds of very large _Actinia_ inhabit the rocks: all that we examined belonged to the species which is externally provided with rows of teats. A _Velella_ also was caught in the open bay: this is the first which has been observed in so high a latitude.

Of _Zoophytes_, some presented themselves of the genera _Antipathes_, _Millepora_; _Cellaria_, _Flustra_ two species, _Melobesia_, _Retepora_, _Acamarchis_, _Lafoea_, _Aglaophenia_, _Dynamena_ fives species, _Clytia_ four species, and _Folliculina_, two species. The _Antipathes_ consists of a simple stem resembling wood, which grows to the length of ten feet: it grows at a great depth in the open bay, and is often accidentally drawn up in fishing.

Although of all insects of this island the beetle is the most numerous, yet during the whole spring and summer, in almost daily excursions, with constant fine weather, only one hundred and six kinds were found. On the whole, it may be observed, that none among them belong to any of the species which have been hitherto considered as peculiar to America; yet there are some of them which form entirely distinct classes, and must therefore be natives of the north-west coast of America. The result of close examination was, that none of those found here are to be met with either in the north of Asia or in Europe, and only seven species are to be found even in Unalashka.

The Fauna is adapted to the climate and the soil; _Nebria_, _Patrobus_ and other Carabides, find a cool abode among the stones on the banks of the ice-cold brooks which fall from the snowy summits of the mountains; in the fir-woods, live several kinds of _Xylophagi_ and some _Cerambycides_; the old mossy trunks of fallen trees afford hiding-places for several kinds of Carabides, as two _Cychrus_, _Leistus_, _Platysma_; and for _Nitidula_, _Scaphidium_, _Agyrtes_, and _Boros_. On the skirts of the woods, shrubs and tall plants nourish some insects belonging to various families; as two _Homalisus_, _Omalium_, and _Anthophagus_, _Anaspis_, _Cantharis_, and _Silis_; besides _Elater_ of eight kinds, and a ninth living under stones.

The small standing waters, formed by single cavities, are proportionably rich in water-beetles, among which is found a _Dyticus_ of the form of the _sulcatus_, seven _Colymbetes_, _Hydroporus_ two species, and a _Gyrinus_. The Carabides are: _Cychrus angusticollis_ and _marginatus_, _Nebria metallica_ and three new species, _Leistus_, _Poecilus_ two, _Patrobus_, _Omaseus adstrictus_, _Platysma_ two, _Loricera_ plainly distinguished from the _pilicornis_, _Amara_, _Trechus_ three, _Bembidium_ two, and _Leja_ three species. Thirteen species of _Brachelytra_ have been found; of carrion-beetles, a _Necrophorus_, a _Silpha_, quite of the figure of the _subterranea_, and a _Catops_. Of Pentamerides are still to be mentioned the _Scydmaenus_, _Cryptophagus_, _Byrrhus_, _Cercyon_, _Psammodius_, and _Aphodius_. The number of Heteromerides amounts only to four; namely, one _Boros_ of the arched form of the _elongatus_, a small _Phaleria_, a pale yellow _Anaspis_, and a small black, flat beetle with overgrown wing-cases of a new form, which must be reckoned among the family of the Blapides. Of beetles with probosces only six were found, of Xylophagi seven, of the species _Hylurgus_ two, _Bostrichus_ three, one _Rhyzophagus_, and a larger quite red _Cucujus_. The three stag-beetles were a _Sphondylis_, a _Lamia_ with excrescences upon the sharply pointed cases of its wings, and a beetle of the flat form of a _Callidium_. Of the large class of Chrysomelides, only five varieties were to be met with; namely, two sorts of _Donacia_, a beetle of the form of a _Lema_, and two varieties, of the form of Eumolpes. Lastly, three Trimerides were discovered, namely, two _Latridii_ and a _Pselaphus_.