AND THE FISH THEREOF. 21 



The vegetation decreases markedly below this point, and is only repre- 

 sented by some species of Dictyomenia;, which reach down to 50 fathoms, 

 and are characteristic of these depths. The characteristic fauna comprises 

 three Crustaceans, two Annellides, fourteen Mollusks, three Echinoderms, 

 three Polyps, and four Sponges. 



At the bottom of the shore-incline, formed by stone d£bris, and more 

 seawards, on loam or sand-beds, amongst the mostly distorted forms of 

 Cystoseira, which still grow here and there, and heaps of broken fragments 

 of shells, which have accumulated in course of time — the most characteristic 

 forms are the Annellide Onupliis tubicola, the bivalves Venus ovata, V. 

 fascia/a, Cardium oblougum, C. punctatum, and the Polyp EscJiara cervi- 

 cornis. Besides these, some few characteristic species of the former region 

 still appear, but are on the decrease. 



On gravel and scattered fragments of shells, stone, or Nullipores, in 

 20-30 fathoms, forming the bed in a wide circle around the island of Lussin, 

 and partly also that of Veglia, and also less prominently so in other parts, are 

 quite characteristic : the Annellides Serpula venusta, Vermilia elavigera, 

 Eunice galliea, E. norvegica, Nereis Dumerilii, and Cerebratulus margiuatus, 

 mostly Celtic forms ; the Mollusks Fits us lavatus, Turrit clla triplieata, 

 Pleurotoma Philberti, and Turbo rugosus in swarms ; Chiton Levis, Capulus 

 kuugarieus, both Boreal forms, small elegant specimens of Pectcn (P. pusio, 

 P. testes, P. pellucidus, P. opercular is) ; swarms of Coma tit la (A tec to) 

 uiedilerrauea, also well-developed and many-coloured varieties of the Boreal 

 species Ophiotrix fragilis, Astropecten pentacanthits, and Retipora 

 reticulata. 



Forms characteristic of the whole region are found here, such as 

 Lysianassa liumilis in hollow sponges ; the Annellide Terebella pustulosa 

 on plants and sponges ; the Mollusks Turritella quadricarinata, Denta- 

 Hum dentalis, and two Boreal bivalves, Venus faseiata and Cardium 

 Iccvigatum. 



On uniform and extended loam-beds appear, in dispersed groups, the 

 Crustaceans Alpheus ruber, Galathea rugosa, Corystes dent at us, and swarms 

 of Poriuuus plicatus ; also Maldane glebifex, an Annellide described by 



