[L7] FAUNA OF OUTER BANKS, VINEYARD SOUND, ETC. 657 



ABUNDANCE OF LIFE. 



A large number of species belouging to various zoological groups, 

 are found in this region living gregariously, in vast numbers, at par- 

 ticular spots, while they may not occur at all, or only sparingly, at 

 other stations similar in depth, temperature, and character of the 

 bottom. Thus, among echinoderms, the large ophiuran, Ophiogli/pha 

 Sarsii, occurred at stations 918 and 1026, in 45 and 182 fathoms, in vast 

 quantities; at 1026, between two and three barrels (probably over 

 10,000 specimens) came up in a single haul; the elegant star-fish, 

 Archaster Agassizii Y., occurred in great numbers at station 997, in 335 

 fathoms; the more common A. Americanus V. has often occurred in 

 very great profusion, man}" thousands being taken at a haul, at several 

 stations. A slender-armed Amphitira occurred in very great numbers 

 at station 920, in 68 fathoms, but was seldom met with elsewhere. The 

 Astrochele Lymani V. occurred at 939, 1028, 1029, and other stations in 

 abundance, twining its arms closely around the branches of the coral, 

 Acanella Normani V. A small crinoid (Antedon dentata Saj) occurred 

 at station 1038, in 146 fathoms, in the greatest profusion, over 10,000 

 specimens coming up at a single haul. As usual, nearly all the speci- 

 mens had dismembered themselves before reaching the surface. The 

 great abundance of this and other recent crinoids, at certain localities, 

 is parallel with the abundance of many ancient fossil crinoids, in par- 

 ticular regions. Many other echinoderms might also be cited, though 

 affording less conspicuous examples. 



Several very large actinians, among them Bolocera Tuediw, Actinauge 

 nodosa, and other related species, occurred in great quantities at many 

 stations (924, 937, 938, 998), more than a barrel of them frequently 

 coming up in the trawl. The pretty bush-like gorgonian coral, Acanella 

 Normani V., was very abundant at stations 938, 947, 1029. Of the spiny 

 sea-feather, Pennatula acideata, we took over 500 specimens, at station 

 1025, and nearly a hundred of Anthomastus grandiflorus Y., at station 

 1029 ; both these forms are usually scarce. The coral, Flabellum Ooodei 

 v., was abundant at 894, 895, 925, 952. The large and curious annelid, 

 Hyalincecia art if ex Y.,* remarkable for the very large, quill-like, free 

 tube that it constructs, must be excessively abundant in many places, 

 as at 869, 892, 938, 998, 1025, 1026 ; for several thousands are frequently 

 taken at a single haul, and sometimes even four or five bushels, as at 

 station 1032. 



Among Crustacea, such cases are also very common. A species of 

 Munida {M. Garabcea Smith) was very abundant at some stations (871, 

 922, 941), so that 2,000 or more sometimes came up in one haul, and the 

 same is true of several species of shrimp {PontopMlus brevirostris Smith, 

 at 865, 871, 878, 941 ; Pandalus leptocerus S., at 870, 878, etc.); certain 

 hermit crabs, as Hemipagurus socialis S., at 871, 874, 877, 878, 940, 941, 

 944; the maioid crab, Euprognatha rastellifera Stimp., at 871-4, 878, 

 921, 941, et c. 



* Figured in Bulletin Mus. Comp. Zool., vol. xi, pi. 6, fig. 1. 1883. 

 S. Mis. 46 42 



