G. GENERAL NATURAL HISTORY AND ZOOLOGY. 2 73 



tleman well known to naturalists of the United States, has 

 also lately come into the possession of the same establish- 

 ment. 15 A, April 29, 1871, 530. 



EXPLORATIONS OF YACHT NORNA. 



Among: other interesting: communications to the late meet- 

 ing of the British Association is one by Mr. Kent upon the 

 zoological results of the dredging expedition of the yacht 

 Noma, off the coast of Spain and Portugal, in 1870; great 

 credit being given to her owner, Mr. Marshall Hall, for thus 

 utilizing: a summer's excursion in the interest of science. 

 Many interesting collections were obtained, embracing new 

 forms of the group of silicious sponges, to which EupUctella, 

 or "Venus's flower-basket," and Hyalonema, or the "glass 

 rope sponge," belong. These were obtained at from 400 to 

 800 fathoms, off Cezimbra, at the moijth of the Sado River, 

 and included specimens of Hyalonema scarcely to be distin- 

 guished from the well-known Japan species. A species of 

 Fitsus (F. contrarius) was found, identical with a common 

 fossil of the Norwich Crag, and other invertebrates obtained 

 more nearly related to Japanese and Chinese species than to 

 any known Atlantic or Mediterranean forms. 



The material obtained during the cruise was readily sep- 

 arable into two portions : the first, that collected from the 

 shore-line down to a depth of 100 fathoms, which presented 

 an interblending of Mediterranean species Avith those inhabit- 

 ing a more temperate coast of Europe ; the second, embrac- 

 ing those taken at a depth of more than 400 fathoms, remark- 

 able for their northern or colder water character and affinities. 



It is much to be desired that some of the owners of the 

 many powerful steam and sailing yachts in the United States 

 may be induced to follow the example of Mr. Hall, as the field 

 of exploration outside of a few miles from shore, along the 

 Atlantic coast, is almost entirely unworked, with the excep- 

 tion of what has been done by the United States Coast Sur- 

 vey and this, however rich in results, covering but a small 

 portion of the ground. During the summer season a week 

 or two might be spent off the coast, at a distance varying 

 from twenty to a few hundred miles, with perfect ease and 

 safety; and by means of apparatus costing but little, and 

 with the companionship of some man of science, always read- 



M2 



