180 DREDGING KEPORTS; 
the Durham coast in the month of August. The result of this 
day’s work was good as to Kchinodermata, very poor in Mol- 
lusea, and no way remarkable in other respects. The Durham 
coast may be stated to be generally poor in Mollusca and rich in 
Echinodermata: of this latter class we took several specimens 
of Brissus lyrifer, Spatangus purpureus, and Amphidotus roseus ; 
also Ludia Sarsu, Uraster glacialis, and Amphidotus cordatus ; 
and among the Holothuriade, Cucumaria elongata, Thyone fusus 
and 7’. Raphanus. A few interesting zoophytes were taken 
which will be found noted in Mr. Alder’s report. 
On the whole, though our expedition cannot be called at all 
brilliantly successful, yet considering the uncertainty always 
attendant on dredging operations, there is not much ground for 
complaint. It has at all events proved to us that there is in the 
Holy Island district a field which under more favourable circum- 
stances may be expected at some future time to yield rich results. 
Let us hope that when next our dredging proclivities take us to 
Holy Island, we may find it better meriting comparison with 
King Arthur's 
Island-valley of Avilion, 
Where falls not hail, or rain, or any snow, 
Nor ever wind blows loudly. 
GiB, Be 
Report on the Mollusca, by Joshua Alder. 
On account of the unfavourable weather experienced in dredg- 
ing, the number of species of Mollusca falls considerably short of 
what were got in the same localities in the previous year. The 
disparity is increased from the circumstance of no ground afford- 
ing the more minute species having been met with. There is 
some difference in the abundance or variety of the species 
obtained, which proves that it is only by repeated dredging that 
a correct idea of their local distribution can be arrived at. The 
abundance of some of the northern forms, such as Astarte com- 
pressa and Leda caudata, shews the boreal character of this part 
of the coast, the fauna of which, upon the whole, approaches 
