MUSEUM OF COMPAKATIVE ZOi)LOGY. 61 



Long Island, and off Chesapeake Bay, in 28 to 487 fathoms, by the U. S. Fish 

 Commission, in 1871, 1880, 1881, and 1882. It is most abundant in 60 to 200 

 fathoms. In these localities the variety forming the abode of hermit-crabs 

 (mostly Eupagurus politus Smith and E. Kroycri) is very common, but the 

 variety consisting usually of one to three polyps attached to a grain of sand is 

 equally or even more .common, while the varieties creeping over or incrusting 

 sponges, shells, hydroids, tunicates, pebbles, etc., is often very abundant on 

 the harder bottoms. It had previously been taken repeatedly by the U. S. 

 Fish Commission, from 1871 to 1879, in the Gulf of Maine; Bay of Fundy, in 

 40 to 109 fathoms, 1872 ; off Nova Scotia, in 50 to 190 fathoms, 1877; off 

 George's Bank, in 60 to 430 fathoms, 1872. Also from the Gulf of St. Law- 

 rence, incrusting variety, on rocks (coll. Whiteaves). 



The Gloucester fishermen often brought it in from the various fishing banks 

 off Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, in 100 to 300 fathoms, 1878-80. 



It was originally described by me from specimens of the form covering 

 shells occupied by hermit-crabs (in this instance Eupagurus puhcscens), from 

 off New Jersey, in 30 fathoms, — Capt. Gedney. 



An incrusting variety, apparently identical with the corresponding form of 

 our species, has recently been described from the coast of Norway, under the 

 name of Zoanthus Norvegicus, by Danielssen and Koren. 



Epizpanthus paguriphilus Verrill. 



Amer. Jour. Sci., XXIII., Feb. 1882, p. 137. 



Plate VIII. Fig. 5. 



Coral large, leathery, nearly smooth, translucent, incrusting spiral shells 

 inhabited by Parapagurus pilosimanus Smith. The polyps are large, elongated, 

 swollen at base, more or less cylindrical, sometimes conical, at other times ex- 

 panded at the summit. The surface is throughout smooth, glabrous, naked, 

 or with a slight, imperfect coat of fine mud ; margin, j ust below the tentacles, 

 softer, smoother, and lighter-colored than the rest. In the larger specimens 

 there is usually a circle of seven to twelve polyps, arising from the outer 

 margin of the coral, and directed radially outward and somewhat upward; 

 along that portion of the margin which covers the front of the crab, the circle 

 of polyps is interrupted for a considerable space; elsewhere the bases of the 

 polyps are in contact, or nearly so. The entire upper surface of the coral 

 is convex and destitute of polyps. Usually the apex of the univalve shell on 

 which the colony started may be seen through the translucent integument 

 near the po.stero-lateral border, on the left-hand side. Sometimes the shell 

 has entirely disappeared by absorption. In all cases the coral extends far 

 beyond the aperture of the original shell, in a spiral direction, itself forming 

 the principal part of the habitation of the crab. The lower surface is also 

 convex and smooth, and destitute of polyps, except one, which always stands 

 below and in front of the aperture, in a position which would correspond to 



