COLLECTING HEX. IN THE SAGAMI SEA. 27 



dreaded by the fishermen who often attribute the severing of 

 the line by a clean cut to the work of their powerful pincers. 

 The carapace of the giant crab not infrequently bears upon it 

 a variety of other animals. Once I obtained therefrom some 

 valuable specimens of Rossellids, of Hydrozoa and of a small 

 stalked Crinoid, besides a number of Lepas, &c. 



The Tunicates, both simple and compound, as well as the 

 Brachiopods are also tolerably well represented among the tro- 

 phies of the dabo-line. The worms and molluscs seem to be the 

 most difficult for the dabo-line to catch hold of. Nevertheless, 

 I have seen Aphrodite.-^ and Nemerteans hooked up, not to men- 

 tion the cases in which such animals have been brought up 

 attached to other objects. Of the molluscs obtained by the hooks 

 of the dabo-line, I may mention two or three remarkable cases. 

 OpUtlioteuthis dipreasa Ij. & Ik. is a very rare and anomalously 

 shaped species of Octopod, which I described in 189o (this 

 Journal, vol. VIII), conjointly with Mr. >^. Ikeda, from the 

 single specimen then existent. It was captured by the dabo-line, 

 having swallowed a hook baited with shark-flesh. Early last 

 year I was rejoiced to receive from Kuma a second specimen of 

 this most remarkable Octopod, much finer than the lirct. It was 

 captured in a similar manner. Amphitretus pelagicus Hoyle is 

 another very interesting Cephalopod, upon which Hoyle (Chall. 

 Rep., vol. XVI) bases a distinct family and which has hitherto 

 been known in an unique specimen obtained by the ' Challenger.' 

 In 1897 a second specimen of the species fell into our hands ; 

 it was likewise secured by Kuma, having taken a baited hook 

 of the dabo-line. The Gasteropod genus Plenroiomaria, of which 

 living specimens are extremely rare and held by dealers at an 

 enormous price, is represented in the Sagami Sea by PL beyrichi. 



