518 LinncBan Society. 



abundant and attaining a larger size on the coasts of Sicily and 

 Malta. The Mediterranean specimens are in every respect identical 

 with the British, and Spat, meridionalis of Risso is the same species. 



Gen. Brissus, Klein. 



Fragments of Sea-urchins belonging to this genus were repeatedly 

 found in very deep water on several parts of the Archipelago and on 

 the coast of Asia Minor, but too imperfect to admit of determination. 

 One of these, probably belonging to a new form, was taken in mud 

 at the depth of from 100 to 140 fathoms. 



Gen. Amphidetus, Agassiz. 



Of this genus Prof. Forbes describes a new species nearly related 

 to Spat, cordatus of Pennant, which he characterizes as follows : — 



A. Mediterra72eus, dorso convexiusculo ; depvessione subplano ; impres- 



sione scutiformi, extremitate anali truncata impressa cauda prominenti 



acuminata, ventre piano ; area post-orali lanceolata. — Long. ly\ unc. ; 



lat. liV; alt. loV- 



Of this species, which was taken in a few feet water in the Island 



of Paros by Capt. Graves, but which Prof. Forbes has dredged as 



deep as twenty fathoms, the author gives a detailed description ; and 



particularly notices the occurrence on each side of the madreporiform 



plate, obliquely behind the posterior ovarian foramina, of a minute 



perforation, surrounded by a circle of minute spiniferous tubercles. 



Similar perforations similarly encircled are seen between each of the 



ovarian foramina laterally and anteriorly, so that their total number 



is five. These, the author states, are the ej^e-sockets with their 



protecting spines or eye-lids. Their presence, he adds, is unnoticed 



in any description of the species of Spatangacece, though they are 



doubtless to be found in all. 



Fam. Cltpeasteri^. 

 Gen. EcHiNocYAMus, Leske. Fibulai-ia, Latn. 

 EcMnocyamus pusillus is abundant throughout the Egean Sea, 

 being thrown up in shell- sand and equally plentiful at all depths be- 

 tween one and a hundred and ten fathoms. Dead specimens were 

 even dredged at a depth of two hundred. Specimens taken alive in 

 the European seas are undistinguishable from those found in the an- 

 cient tertiaries of the Paris basin, in the miocene strata of Touraine 

 and the Crag, and in the pliocene beds of the Mediterranean. Prof. 

 Forbes regards Fibularia Taretitina, Lam., Fib. Ovulum and probably 

 Fib. ungulosa as synonyms of this species. 



Fam. CiDARiDiE. 

 Gen. Echinus, L. 



Echinus esculentus, L., was very rarely met Vt'ith in the Egean Sea ; 

 while, on the other hand, Ech. lividus, Lam., was most abundant, 

 being always littoral and covering the rocks within a fathom of depth, 

 but never, so far as Prof. Forbes has observed, boring into them. 



