INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONS. 97 



Many of tliese range throughout the east coast of England 

 and Scotland, but are generally rare or wanting in the south and 

 west. The most abundant of them are Geniellarla loriculuta and 

 Flustra truncata^ which are constantly brought in on the fisher- 

 men's lines. Thuiaria thuia and Pennatula j^liosphorea are also 

 not uncommon. 



Comparing our marine Fauna with that of the south coast of 

 England, the most striking deficiency is found in the Asteroid 

 and Helianthoid orders. Our shores do not produce one-fourth 

 part of the recorded British species of Actinia^ and several of the 

 allied genera are entirely wanting; as are likewise all the cal- 

 careous and corticated corals. Of the more conspicuous south- 

 country zoophytes we may note the absence of Sertularia nigra, 

 S. pinnata, Plumularia pennatula, Campanularia gelatinosa, Anihea 

 cereiis, Adamsia ixdliata. Caryophjllia SmitJin, Memhranipora 

 Lacroixii, Flustra chartacea, Caberea Boryi, and Valkeria piistidata; 

 and the very rare occun-ence of Plumidaria cristata (only found 

 in one instance), Auguiiiaria spatulata, Cellularia cUiata, Bugula 

 avicidaria, Lepralia Brongniartii, Escliara foUacea, and Veskularia 

 spinosa ; the last, so abundant in many places, is probably rare 

 here on account of the absence of muddy estuaries. 



The number of species here given exceeds that of any other 

 local Catalogue yet published. The reason probably is, not that 

 zoophytes are more abundant on this coast than elsewhere, but 

 that more attention has been paid to the minute and less con- 

 spicuous forms. The fullest list that I am acquainted with is in 

 Couch's " Cornish Fauna," where the number described amounts 

 to 124.* The Rev. A. Irvine's Catalogue of those found in 

 Dublin Bay (^Nat. Hist. Review, i. 244) contains 105 species. 

 The other lists that I have seen (printed and manuscript) are 

 below 100. The present Catalogue contains 164 species, of 

 which 17, at least, are believed to be new. They belong to the 

 following orders and families : — 



* The Zoophytes recorded in Mr. Thompson's " Natural Histor}' of Ireland," vol. iv., 

 amount to 1G7, but the area embraced ui the Report precludes a comparison in the 

 present instance. 



