no The Irish Naturalist. July, 



coast of Greenland, are among the species living at a 

 depth of 900 fathoms near the Irish coast. 



Several groups of the larger forms of Crustaceans are 

 dealt with in a report by the late Mr. Selbie.^ It is with 

 feelings of sadness that I peruse the pages of his descrip- 

 tions to which he devoted such care and industry. The 

 illustrations, all drawn by himself, are a good example 

 of his artistic merit. Four species are described as new 

 to science and there are sixteen additions to the Irish 

 marine fauna. The majority of these were taken in deep 

 water. The discovery of laxea noctiirna adds another 

 instance to the curious faunistic links between the far- 

 distant Adriatic and the northern seas. Mr. Selbie also 

 describes a new kind of Spin}^ Lobster. As regards the 

 Common Lobster it is satisfactory to note that the number 

 and value landed in Ireland are steadily increasing from 

 year to 3^ear, the catch amounting now to over half a 

 million. 



Still another group comprising the more active shrimp- 

 like Crustaceans are treated by Mr. Kemp.^ Bags of 

 sprat and mosquito netting attached to the beam trawl 

 have been chiefly instrumental in the capture of most 

 of these. As the previous records of this particular group 

 (Decapoda Natantia) from Irish waters are few, Mr. Kemp 

 has incorporated all references to scarcer forms in the 

 present paper. It makes his report all the more valuable 

 to zoologists. Of the 54 species known to occur in the 

 Britisli and Irish marine area not less than 47 have been 

 found off the Irish coasts. No new species are described. 



Worms. — The English term " worms " includes a great 

 variety of forms for which no other convenient word is 

 applicable. The Spoon Worms (Gephyrea) are a group of 

 worms confined to the floor of the sea, where they live 

 as a rule buried in the sand or mud. Twenty-three species 



1 Selbie, C. M.— The Dccnpoda Reptantia of the Coasts of Ireland. 

 Part I. Palinura, Astacura and Anom\ira (except Paguridea).Fu/;mf5, 

 Ireland, Set. Invest., 191 4, i. [191 4]. 



2 Kemt, Stanley. -The Decapoda Natantia of the Coast of Ireland. 

 {fisheries, Ireland, Sci. Invest., 1908. i. [1910], 



