224 ACTINIAE COLLECTED IN THE NOKTII SEA 



CHONDRACTINIA DIGITATA (0. F. Mull. i). 



Occurred frequently in abundance at many stations in the region of 

 the Great Fisher Bank and about Lat. 55° 31' N., Long. 0° 53' W. ; 55° 

 48' K, 0° 49' E. ; 55° 44' K, 1° 40' E., and many other stations in those 

 areas in from 34 to 55 fathoms. 



Generally attached to the shells of various species of Fusus, either 

 living or inhabited by Eupagurus hcrnJiardus. Those from the Great 

 Fisher Bank showed great variability in the size of the warts and colour 

 of the column, etc. ; there might be but one row of prominent warts near 

 the summit, or they might be scattered thickly over the greater part of 

 the column, and the colour of the column varied from dirty white to 

 dull orange, and the tentacles from dull pale lilac to light brown. 



In a few there was a tendency to mammillation in the warts thus 

 approaching C. nodosa, though none could be placed in that species. 

 Carlgren mentions similar cases, but in a region where both forms 

 were to be found. He found it difficult to determine to which 

 species some individuals should be assigned, 



METRIDIUM DIANTHUS (EUis). 



This species was found so constantly and abundantly throughout the 

 entire area investigated, as to render an enumeration of localities un- 

 necessary. All the colour varieties mentioned by Gosse, Carlgren, and 

 others were represented, with the exception of the sulphur and lemon- 

 yellow ; this appears to be somewhat rare (it is abundant in places on 

 the coast of N. Wales). The most frequent in the North Sea is a dirty 

 white, especially in the deeper water. Carlgren (1893, p. 102) says 

 " Die rein weisse Varietat " (var. sidonea, Gosse, 1860, p. 13) " habe ich 

 nur in tiefem Wasser angetrolten." In shallower areas the red, pink, 

 and pale orange are abundant ; the dark brown and olive forms were 

 only taken occasionally. 



This species is to be found attached to stones, wood, Algce, Alcijonidium 

 gelatinosum, Buccinvm, Fusus (in such it usually occupies the apical 

 region), upon the surface of Cancer pagurus, etc., etc. I have seen a large 

 female Cancer almost entirely covered by an enormous red anemone. 



Pycnogonum littorale is frequently to be found clinging about the 

 base of this species, and on several occasions I have observed it feeding 

 upon this and other species. The proboscis is sunk deeply into the 

 tissues, and the claws are hooked into the body wall. It requires a 

 sharp pull to draw out the proboscis, and the tissues around the 

 puncture were generally discoloured, showing the proboscis to have 



