490 ON THE FAUNA AND BOTTOM-DEPOSITS NEAR THE 30-F^r. LINE 



Bottom-deposit. llilne-Edwards and Bouvier (No. 80), on gravel, sand, and Vn-oken 

 shell and on fine sand, more frequently on gravel and coarse ground (5 stations) than 

 on fine sand (2 stations) [Bay of Biscay and north-west of Sjiain, 30 to 150 fathoms]. 

 Mctzger(No. 78) on sand and shell (south-east of Yannoutli, 23 fathoms). Pruvot (No. 98), 

 on mud and sand below 25 fatlioms. Marion and Gourret (No. 31), on sandy mud and 

 deep mud (20-100 fathoms). Stcnorhijiichus lonyirostris ajipears to be most frequent 

 amongst hydroids from about 20 to 50 fathoms. Its place is taken in shallower water 

 by Stenorhynchus phalangium, and in the North Sea this species seems to replace it even 

 in 30 to 50 fatlioms (see p. 518). Its distribution appears to l)e only indirectly influenced by 

 the nature of the bottom-deposit. 



Inachus dorsettensis. Chart XL On the whole the distribution of 

 Inachus on the grounds under examination corresponds closely with 

 that of Stenorhynchus longirostris, though it has never been met with 

 in such great numbers as the latter species is when at its maximum. 

 On the gravels to the west of the Eddystone it is more frequent than 

 Stenorhynchus, though generally not represented by more than a few 

 specimens in a haul. 



Habits. Inachus dorsettensis is usually taken with its legs and often 

 most of its carapace covered with growing sponges, compound ascidians, 

 and polyzoa (Scrupoccllaria scriqjosa). Occasionally specimens of 

 Balanus are also attached to the carapace. It is a more sluggish 

 animal than Stenorhynchus lonyirostris, and it does not seem to spend 

 its time clinging to branching hydroids as that species probably does. 



DisTKiBUTioN. Geographical. Mediterranean, Portugal, West France, British Seas, 

 Kattegat, West Norway to latitude 62° N. Only taken by the Pommerania in North 

 Sea at one station {fide Norman, No. 93 ; Gourret, No. 31 ; Meinert, No. 75 ; Metzger, 

 No. 78 ; Bonnier, No. 10). Apparently not common in Irish Sea (A. 0. Walker, No. 112). 



Depth. From about 6 fathoms (Gourret) to 136 fathoms (Milne-Edwards and Bouvier, 

 No. 80). 



Bottom-deposit. A. Milne-Edwards and Bouvier {Monaco expeditions) record the species 

 from two stations on sand and gravel, and from seven stations on fine sand and on muddy 

 sand. Metzger {I'ommerania) records it once on sand and shell. Pruvot, No. 98 (at 

 Roscoff), from the lower littoral gravel. Gourret (at Marseilles), on gravels, on muddy 

 sand, and on sandy gravel. Meinert (No. 75) {Hauch expedition), generally on gravel 

 mixed with sand and mud ; occasionally on pure mud or on clean sand. It thus appears 

 that the species may occur on both gravel and sandy grounds, thougli according to the 

 results of the Monaco dredgings it is more frequent on sand. I find no record of its having 

 been taken on fine mud, but on grounds harder than this it appears to be distributed 

 without immediate reference to the bottom-deposit. 



Maia squinado was only taken in two hauls, both on fine sand 



grounds, in haul 56 on Ground III. and in haul 82 on Ground I. It is 



common amongst the rocks outside Plymouth Sound. 



Distribution. Geographical. Mediterranean (general and common). Canaries, Portugal, 

 West France, North France, southern and western coasts of England, and south coast of 

 Ireland (Gourret, No. 31 ; Bonnier, No. 10 ; Pruvot, No. 98 ; Bell, No. 9). Not recorded 

 from North Sea nor from Irish Sea. 



Depth. Shore (Gourret) to 50 fathoms (Bonnier). 



Hyas coarctatus. Several specimens were taken on the fine sand 

 south of the Eddystone (Ground VI., hauls 101 and 102), one specimen 

 on the sandy ground east of the Eddystone (Ground IV., haul 39), and 



