LX EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 



stomachs of the fishes caught on our coast. This species, in life, is of 

 a brilliant vermilion color. The carapax is often G inches in diameter. 

 To some individuals were attached two species of stalked barnacles^ 

 one being the type of a new genus. An anomuran, Latreillia elegans 

 Roux, is certainly an elegant species. The carapax is triangular in 

 shape and rarely more than an inch in length, while the legs extend 

 4 or 5 inches on each side. The eyes are at the ends of stalks half as 

 long as the carapax. The legs are banded alternately with bright red 

 and light pink. One of the most interesting of the crustaceans was a 

 hermit crab, Parapagurus pilosimanus Smith. This was first described 

 in 1879 from a single specimen brought in by a fisherman from the 

 Banks. We found it in great abundance, 500 specimens being taken at 

 a single haul. This forms the type of a new family as well as of a new 

 genus. It possesses characters hitherto unknown in its group, having 

 gills in the form of papillfB instead of lamellae as in most hermit crabs. 

 The carciucecium was originally a shell, as is commonly the case, but a 

 compound polyp with a tough leathery integument soon becomes at- 

 tached to the shell and extends beyond it, growing as the crab grows, 

 often in time completely absorbing the shell. This polyp is also new 

 to science, forming the tj^pe of a new genus. It is interesting to note 

 that this crustacean and the polyp have never been found separated. 

 While there are many other species of the hermit crabs in the same 

 region, this polyp is never found upon any of them, and this crab is never 

 protected by any other of the numerous species of polyps which abound. 

 Hitherto few species of Cephalopods have been found on our coast, 

 but many new and interesting forms were taken during the past sum- 

 mer. The largest was Alloposus mollis Verrill, of which we took two 

 specimens, each about three feet long and weighing 25 or 30 pounds. 

 It belongs to the eight-armed group, and the arms are united through- 

 out nearly their entire length by a muscular web. Its suckers are over 

 half an inch in diameter. The body is very soft and gelatinous. It 

 shrinks exceedingly when put into alcohol and is reduced to not more 

 than one-third of its original weight. Such an animal would hardly 

 seem to be a formidable enemy. This is also the type of a new genus. 

 A species described by Sars from the Norwegian coast was taken spar- 

 ingly. This closely resembles the common squid of our shores, but 

 the tentacular arms, besides possessing the usual suckers, are supplied 

 with horny hooks, giving it a fearful advantage in the struggles with its 

 prey. A species described by Le Seur in 1821, Taonius pavo, also 

 occurred, not having been seen on our coast since that time. This is 

 well deserving of the name "goggle-eyed squid," its eyes being alto- 

 gether out of proportion to the body. Fragments of the shells of the 

 paper nautilus were frequently dredged, but the animal itself was not 

 taken. Two or three living specimens have lately occurred on the New 

 Jersej^ coast. 



