Pycno^onids Collected During" the 



Summer of 1915, at Laguna 



Beach 



WILLIAM A. HILTON 



While collecting embryological iiuiterial from the littoral regions 

 of Laguna Beach, some additional points in connection with the 

 life history, habits and distribution of pycnogonids were brought 

 to light. 



In all over seven hundred specimens of various species were 

 found, but a much larger number might have been obtained in cer- 

 tain cases because the localities where they live were so clearly 

 determined. 



Certain species were obtained with greater difficulty during the 

 past summer, and some species seemed more abundant. All species 

 found last summer, with the exception of Phoxicliilidiiini femoratum 

 Cole and Nymphon sp., were found again this year, while three or 

 more species found this summer were not found last. In most cases 

 the pycnogonids were found not far from hydroids, sea anemones or 

 a certain coarse kind of polyzoan. The place which furnished the 

 animals most abundantly was at Balboa Bay among the tubularian 

 hydroids which occur in great masses. In this locality, first brought 

 to my attention by Mr. F. W. Daniels, a hundred pycnogonids 

 were found in one little clump of hydroids, while here and there in 

 other masses they were nearly as abundant. The species found 

 was one not seen last year. It was Anoploductylns crcctiis Cole. 

 Another species not clearly recognized last year was among PJiyl- 

 lospadix in certain localities. Two species found very often in this 

 eel grass were Ammothella spinosisshna Hall and AnopJodactyhis 

 califoru'nus Hall. Now and then other forms were collected from 

 these localities, but these two species were found over and over 

 again in certain masses of this plant, especially if hydroids and 

 Polyzoa were near at hand. Under a stone in one situation a large 



