This Marvelous Story

icquires additional interest if wo now tako into consideraron what ure the oharacteristic peouliaritiea of tho ehironeetes. As its name indicates, it bas fins liko bands; that is to say, the pectoral íinsaro supported by a kiud of prolongad, wiistlike appendages, and the raya of the ventruls are not unlike rude fingen. With these limbs these iishes have long been known to attach themselves to sea-woeds, and rather to walk than to swim in their natural element. But now that we havo become aequainted with thuir modo of reproduction, it niay fairly be askod it' tlie most important use to which their poouliarly eonstructeil iins are jmtisuot probftbly i" building their nest? WHAT LED ÏO TUIS 11ESULT. The discovory of ihis nest was quito accidental, but not so the examinatiou of the largo uiiisses of tho iloating woeds which we met with is soonas we entered waters ot' tho Guit' Btream. I had made it my chief business to examine tho iloating sargassum with tho intention of sol ving, if possible, thequostion of its origin. I had delivered a lecture to all on board, in which was stated all I knew on the subject and what I wantod to aseertain further, thus hoping to onlist tho interest of the otfieers of the ship, and of my scien tifie fellow-travelers, in tho object of my search. I had told them that 1 did not believo Gulf-weed could mulfciply wliile floating, even though the iloating branches might enhuge. I had ;ted tho gathering of tho smalles; branches of the weed with a view to ascmtaining whether not all, even the vo:y gmalleat, bon; signs of having been toni violenily away trom a fixod sttaohment. From that day not a paich of Gulf-woed passed ourship within reach that was not carefully looked at, and hauled up if it presented any peculiar appearance, ind no doubt I have my rewatd for that lectme iu tho discovery of the nest ofnhironectes. TUE NEST AND THE FI8IIE3. Thero remains one closiug chapter to add to this story. May some naturalist bécalnied ainong the Gulf weed havo the gooi fortune of witnessing the process by which the nest is built. From an embryological point oí view these little fiohes aro quite interesting. In the first place abryonal vertical in, wMoh eztends along the whole back ia the fish embryos thus far known, begins very far bchind in the yonng chironectes, and does not oxist upon the neclt and back. In the sceond place the position of the heart is very peculiar. Instead of lying at the jimction of the volk bas: with the head, it aupiea ft low positiun in tho front part of tho yolk. All tho officors of the Hassler are indcfatirablo in thoir efforts to hulp our invt'stigations, and even tho men show useful interest in our proceedings. We bave just reached St. Thomas, so that I have nothing to add as to observations".madü hcro. Ever truly your friend, L. Aoassiz. Professor Benjamin Picroe, Superintendent U. S. Cast Survey.