40 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [38] 



times with small stones. In others it consists of softer mud and sand, 

 or is covered with broken shells and great quantities of sponges, hy- 

 droids, and worm tubes. Both the sand and mud generally contain a 

 large percentage of calcareous foraminifera, some of which are of un- 

 usually large size. The mud in some places also yields innumerable 

 quantities of large sand-covered rhizopods, which vary greatly in form, 

 some being irregularly branched or rudely stellate, and others simply 

 rod-like, and measuring at times nearly an inch long. 



An especial feature of several of the muddy localities was a large 

 round worm tube, resembling a goose-quill both in texture and consist- 

 ency. These tubes, which belong to a new species of the genus Hyali- 

 ncecia, often came up by the thousands, sometimes composing fully half 

 the contents of the trawl. They frequently measure over a foot in length 

 and are nearly straight, but somewhat larger at one end than at the 

 other. They live free upon the bottom, probably, as a rule, lying flat 

 upon the mud, the worms being able to drag them about. These tubes 

 afford attachment to many species of invertebrates, belonging to the 

 groups of hydroids, actinians, and sponges. Another common inhabit- 

 ant of the muddy bottoms, giving shelter to numerous species of worms, 

 actinians, and mollusks, was the beautiful gorgonian, or bush coral, 

 Acanella Normani^ previously known from the northern fishing banks. 

 A large cup coral of rather fragile texture, the Flahellum Goodei, oc- 

 curred abundantly on some of the muddy bottoms, and was taken in 

 large quantities, though generally in a fragmentary condition. 



The mollusca were the most prolific of all the groups, as regards the 

 number of forms taken, 175 species having been secured on the three 

 trips. Of these, 115 species were new to the fauna of Southern New 

 England, and 48 species entirely undescribed. Among the mollusca 

 w^ere 8 species of cephalopods, including 3 genera new to the New Eng- 

 land coast. One of the species was a large and curious form of Octopus 

 {Alloposus mollis), with the arms joined together by a web. Many frag- 

 ments and several nearly perfect specimens of the paper nautilus {Ar- 

 gonauta argo) were obtained from the deeper hauls. Some of the species 

 of Octopus and squids were quite abundant. 



The crustacean fauna of this region was very rich in the number of 

 species and individuals. The majority of the forms obtained belonged 

 to the decapoda or higher Crustacea, the species of schizopoda, cuma- 

 cea, and amphipoda being comparatively few in number. The echino- 

 derms were represented by a large number of species, many of which 

 w^ere new to the region and to science. Several of the species of star- 

 fishes and ophiurans, and a species of crinoid {Antedon Sarsii) frequently 

 occurred in such extreme abundance as to form a very conspicuous feat- 

 ure of the hauls. One new species of starfish, the Archaster Ameri- 

 camis, sometimes appeared by the thousands, and other new species, as 

 well as several species previously known only from occasional specimens 

 brought in from the fishing banks oft' Nova Scotia, were very common. 



About 50 species of fish were taken in the beam trawl beyond the 100- 



