A HISTORY OF SUSSEX 



all those species which are quoted from the Hastings Natural History 

 above referred to are distinguished by an asterisk thus (*) 



Another source, whence a considerable and substantial addition to 

 the present list of the fauna of this coast has been made, is a publication 

 entitled The Natural History of Brighton, by Mrs. Merrifield. Some time 

 has elapsed since the appearance of this book, but there is no reason to 

 suppose that the fauna has since undergone much alteration in character. 

 The whole of the species quoted in the following lists as occurring at 

 Brighton (unless otherwise stated) which have been derived from this 

 little work are distinguished by a dagger mark thus (-f ) 



Only those species which have come within the personal ken of the 

 present writer have received descriptive accounts. 



A great proportion of the specimens referred to hereafter have been 

 obtained from the Diamond Ground off Hastings, a considerable area of 

 which consists of sand, but some parts of it are rough ground. Masses 

 of rock, each weighing several hundredweight, are frequently brought 

 up in the trawl. These blocks of stone are the hard, resisting residue 

 left from the demolition of the Wealden rocks, which constitute the 

 coast line between the chalk downs of Eastbourne on the west and those 

 of Folkestone on the east. The softer clays and sandstones being readily 

 disintegrated, leave the hard ironstones to continue a longer existence. 

 Nearer the downs on either hand are found masses of Cherty Green- 

 sand and large flints derived from the Chalk. 



A section of the Channel, due south of Hastings, shows a gradual 

 slope attaining to a depth, at fifteen miles from shore, of twenty fathoms, 

 rapidly deepening to thirty fathoms, which depth is maintained for 

 about ten miles ; after that there is a slight and gradual rise toward 

 mid-channel. 



The Diamond Ground, from the fisherman's point of view, com- 

 mences at about the twenty-five fathom line, up to which point the 

 ground is of a more or less rough description, and beyond this line it 

 appears to extend for a somewhat unlimited distance. To the west- 

 ward of Beachy Head, or the West Diamond Ground, as it is called, the 

 ground is rough. 



Off Rye and Dungeness there is mainly sand, but some six or 

 seven miles from shore there is a deep deposit of mud extending in 

 an easterly and westerly direction, called by the fishermen the Trail, 

 and much frequented by certain kinds of fish. Still further on, rocky 

 ground is met with, known as the East Shoal or Gringer Shoal. 

 From the above short description therefore it will be inferred that 

 the diversified character of the sea-bottom off Hastings affords a suit- 

 able ground for the varied and rich fauna which it possesses. 



In the preparation of the present article, recourse has been had 

 amongst other works to the following ; and in the case of the Hydroid 

 Zoophytes and the Polyzoa the nomenclature of Hincks has been 

 adopted, whilst in the Mollusca the list of the Conchological Society 

 has been followed. 



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