FROM THE EDDYSTONE GROUNDS TO START POINT. 463 



88) record it once from 6 fathoms (east of Skagcn), and Petersen (No. 95) found it 

 frequently in the Kattegat at deptlis of 10 fathoms and beyond. He found it once 

 (sta. 226) at a depth of 6^ fathoni.s, and again at 8^ (sta. 274), both localities being in the 

 same region as that from which Mobius and Biitschli's s))ecimens were obtained. In the 

 North Sea and more open seas around the British Islands the records (Bell, No. 7 ; 

 Wobius and Biitschli, No. 88 ; Jleissner u. Collin, No. 76) seem to indicate that the 

 species does not flourish in such shallow water as this, there being few less than 20 

 fathoms, the reason being, in all probability, that the amount of wave-disturbance is too 

 great. At dejiths below 20 fathoms it is abundant in many localities, up to 500 or even 

 1000 fathoms (Green and Bell, No. 83 ; Sladen, No. 106). 



Bottom-deposit. Forbes (No. 22) states that he always took Astropecten irregularis on 

 sandy ground. From the Pommerania expedition (No. 88) it is most frequently recorded 

 from a sandy bottom, occasionally from muddj' sand. In the Kattegat (Petersen, No. 95) 

 it is generally distributed upon sand and muddy sand, but is not found on the mud. 

 Meissner and Collin (No. 76) appear to have found it in the North Sea in greatest numbers 

 upon mud and muddy sand, in smaller numbers upon sand. Haddon (No. 34) took the 

 species in the south-west of Ireland, on mud in 47 fathoms, and on coarse sand in 85-40 

 fathoms. The haul of the trawl at 1000 fathoms off the south-west coast of Ireland, in which 

 Astropecten irregularis (fide Bell) was captured by Green, was made upon Globigerina-ooze, 

 the trawl being full of this material when it arrived at the surface (No. 33). Koehler 

 (No 61, Caudan expedition) obtained a number of specimens from a haul on mud. From 

 these records it is clear that the species is abundant only on fine ground, though the exact 

 meaning attached to the terms sand and nuid by the different authors is too uncertain to 

 make it possible to define accurately the kinds of dc[>03it in which it is most numerous. 



Luidia Sarsi (Chart VII.). Three specimens of this species only 

 have been taken, one on the fine sand of the outer trawling ground 

 (Ground II., haul 24), and two on the fine gravel west of the Eddy- 

 stone (Ground XIV., hauls 36 and 73). 



Food. Petersen (No. 95) found Luidia Sarsi in the Kattegat feeding upon ophiurids, 

 the remains of these animals being taken from their stomachs. Ludwig (No. 70) is unable 

 to give any definite information as to the food of L. Sarsi, but has brought together 

 the observations which are known on the food of the allied form L. ciliaris, from the 

 stomach of which the following species have been taken -.—Naticn sp (by Ball), Spatangus 

 purpureus (by Couch), Ophioglypha and Echinocyamus pusillus (by Ludwig). Cuenot (No. 

 18) states that at Koscoff the star-fish attacks the bait on hooks set for dog-fish. 



DiSTKiBUTiON'. Geographical. East Atlantic, from Norway (Throndhjemfjord) to 

 Cape Verde Islands, and Mediterranean {vide Ludwig, No. 70). 



Depth (viilc Ludwig, p. 98). From 5 fathoms to 706 fathoms in the Mediterranean. On 

 Atlantic Coasts the greatest recorded depth is 374 fathoms (Bell, No. 7, Porcujnnc Exp., 

 Sta. 46). 



Bottom-deposit. Ludwig (I. c.) states that the species prefers a muddy or sandy bottom, 

 but that it is also found on coarser gi'ound. L. ciliaris, on the other hand, is generally 

 taken on hard ground {I c, p. 449). In the Kattegat Petersen (No. 95) found the species 

 at a number of stations, generally on the ndxed sand and nuid deposits, occasionally 

 on the mud. Koehler (No 61) took it in the Bay of Biscay {Caudan expedition) on gravel 

 and sand, on gi-avel, and on mud. 



Porania pulvillus (Chart VII.) was taken in considerable numbers 

 (six or seven specimens in one haul of the otter-trawl) on the fine 

 gravel to the west of the Eddystone (Ground XIV., hauls 36 and 73), 

 one specimen was taken on the adjoining Ground X. (haul 42), and one 

 on Ground IV. (haul 39). 



Habits. No indication of a burrowing habit in this species has been 

 observed, nor is it given to climbing when in confinement. 



