NATURE NOTES. 107 
EFrect OF Storms on LirroraL INVERTEBRATES. 
ALL shore naturalists know the tremendous destruction of 
life which occurs during violent storms, and as there can be 
little doubt that many of the peculiarities of littoral animals 
have been induced by the necessity for protection against 
wave-action, it is of much interest to note the species which 
are specially liable to this form of elimination. The follow- 
ing is a brief list of some of the invertebrates found on the 
shores of the Firth of Forth after the violent easterly gale 
of October 18-19, 1898. 
The most abundant forms were Mollusca, some species of 
which occurred in extraordinary numbers, Scattered widely 
over the beach, large specimens of Lutraria elliptica and 
Mya truncata were at first very obvious, but the unremitting 
persecution of the sea-gulls rapidly reduced their numbers. 
The birds smashed in the shells with their beaks, and 
devoured the whole of the soft parts with the exception of 
the tough siphons, which were left lying on the sand in 
great numbers. Specimens of Cardium edule were also very 
numerous, and seemed to be equally relished, but Solens 
were not very conspicuous. In the pools Pecten opercularis 
was found in large numbers, most of the specimens being 
living and active; also full-grown specimens of Fusus and 
Buccinum, some of the former being of enormous size. 
Large masses of Laminaria had been torn up by the 
breakers, and involved with it in a common destruction 
were numbers of the different kinds of animals which 
usually find shelter in its long fronds and tangled roots, 
Many of these seemed, however, to have escaped injury, and 
were still in an active condition. Among these were large 
numbers of the bright red porcelain crab (Porcellana longi- 
cornis), Galathea sqguamifera clinging like it to the prostrate 
Stems, the ungainly spider-crab (Hyas araneus), together 
with sea-spiders, numerous annelids, the pretty little Helcion 
pellucida, and many others. Lying beneath the weed were 
extraordinary numbers of small hermit-crabs, which had 
been apparently washed out of the rock pools and entangled 
