ao 
We have found two specimens of Dabs in which there 
are similar irregularities in the lateral line. This organ 
in place of being one continuous row of scales is divided 
into two nearly parallel tracts, the one dorsal and anterior 
and the other ventral and posterior. The posterior part 
of the semi-circular curve near the anterior end of the 
lateral line is absent. 
FAUNISTIC INVESTIGATIONS. 
During the various trips that have been taken, on the 
steamer ‘‘ John Fell,’ on various trawlers, and on the 
cutter stationed at New Brighton, for the purpose of 
collecting and making observations on fish a number of 
notes and collections have been made of the fauna of the 
ground trawled over, and this has led to the discovery of 
several animals new to the district. Besides this we are 
now able to show that there are definite areas in the 
district, both inside and outside of the territorial limits, 
which are inhabited by large numbers of some one or two 
particular molluscs or annelids or echinoderms. These 
areas with their assemblages of animals are of economic 
importance as constituting the chief feeding grounds of 
our food-fish. 
Below are given the names of some of the animals 
which are of importance in this way with a few notes as 
to the localities, depth, etc. :— 
Scrobicularia alba:—This small bluish-white bivalve 
shell well known to the fishermen as ‘‘ henpens”’ covers 
a very large extent of the sea-bottom, usually in the 
deep water lying about midway between the Lancashire 
coast and the Isle of Man and extending down to the 
bottom end of the Horse Channel, the depth varying from 
7 to 31 fathoms. It is usually found on a dark blue mud 
and as this extends also in places round the Isle of Man 
