65 



FAUNISTIC NOTES. 



Nematoscelis megalops, Sars. — On March 23rd, 1918, large 

 numbers of Schizopods were found dead in the sandy pools at 

 the high water mark in Cullercoats Bay, and on the next day 

 they were observed in even greater quantity on the beach between 

 Monkseaton and St. Mary's Island. On March 25th the same 

 forms were still present, but had been carried higher by the tide, 

 and were fewer in numbers than on the previous day. 



An examination of the least damaged specimens showed the 

 creature to be Nematoscelis megalops, Sars., which is an oceanic 

 form occurring in the North and South Atlantic. It is recorded 

 also from the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean, off the Labrador 

 and Nova Scotia coasts, and in the Irish Sea.* This appears 

 to be the first record of the occurrence of the species on this coast. 



Sars gives the greatest length of N. megalops as 26 mm. The 

 largest obtained here was 20 mm. long (fig. 1). This species is 

 characterised by the great length of the first pair of legs, which 

 terminate in a group of bristles. The tail also corresponds exactly 

 to that figured by Sars, as does the arrangement of the gills (figs. 

 2-4). 



Amongst the N. megalops collected at Monkseaton a number 

 of Euthemisto compressa, Goes, were found. f These were 

 evidently the large form of the species, the average length being 

 13 mm. 



This species occurred much more sparingly on the beach 

 than did the Nematoscelis, and was not observed at Cullercoats. 



Sars mentions E. compressa as occurring off the Norwegian 

 coast, in the Arctic Ocean and Davis Straits, and near the east 

 coast of Greenland. The large variety is found in the North Sea 

 irregularly, but its occurrence as recorded in previous reports is 

 interesting. The small variety appears every season. 



O. M. JORGENSEN. 



* " Nordisches Plankton," VI., Schizopoden, and " Report of the H.M.S. ' Challenger,' ' 

 XII., p. 131. 



t Sars" " Crustacea of jSTorway," I., pp 12-15. 



