FAUNA AND FLORA OF THE SEA BOTTOM. 1 229 



The undertaking of which it is my privilege to speak to you was commenced 

 in the summer of 1903." The project was twofold: First to make as complete 

 a census as possible of the marine fauna and flora of an arbitrarily limited 

 region wdthin the vicinity of Woods Hole, Mass. (fig. i);'' and secondly, to 

 carry on systematic dredging operations throughout that portion of this region 

 comprising Vineyard Sound and Buzzards Bay. For the former division of 

 the work we have resorted for data to all previous published reports, to copious 

 manuscript notes which have been furnished us by various investigators, to 

 the wealth of information accumulated during many years past by the veteran 

 collector of the Bureau of Fisheries, Mr. Vinal N. Edwards, as well as to original 

 records from our own operations. The final product, a much elaborated 

 check list, is nearly ready for press. But it is the second part of this project 

 to which I shall invite your attention. The method of procedure here 

 employed was to dredge at rather frequent intervals throughout the entire extent 

 of Vineyard Sound and Buzzards Bay. Each of these dredging stations was 

 numbered, and was definitely located upon our charts, and the total "array" 

 of animals and plants from each point was determined. From such records 

 it was of course possible to plot out the distribution of every animal and plant 

 encountered, granting, of course, the thoroughness and reliability of our methods 

 and the accuracy of our determinations of species. It will be impossible here 

 to enter into a discussion of the methods employed or of the trustworthiness 

 of our data. It is suflficient to state that a full report upon this entire under- 

 taking is nearly ready for press, and that due allowance has been made for all 

 possible sources of error. It is my present purpose merely to give a brief state- 

 ment of a few of the more interesting results. 



To begin with, the waters which have been explored are exclusively shal- 

 low ones, at no point exceeding 25 fathoms in depth. Accordingly, none of the 

 characteristic deep-sea deposits and none of the abyssal types of animals have 

 been encountered. Within the limits stated, however, we have dealt with a 

 wide diversity of conditions. Among these are to be mentioned differences 

 in the character of the bottom, in the temperature, salinity, depth, and purity 

 of the water, and in the tidal currents. Foremost among the conditions 

 determining the distribution of the bottom-dwelling organisms we have found 

 to be the character of the bottom, considered chiefly in relation to its physical 

 texture. It is a mere platitude to state that fixed animals require a solid basis 

 for attachment, and burrowing ones a suitable medium for excavation. Drift- 

 ing sand is of course unfavorable to the growth of many forms, and soft mud 



"This work has been conducted for the Bureau of Fisheries by the present author in cooperation 

 with R. C. Osburn and L. J. Cole (zoology), and B. M. Davis (botany). A large number of specialists 

 have likewise rendered assistance in identifying specimens, revising terminology, etc. 



6 Roughly, from Newport to Monomoy, and from the mainland of Massachusetts to the 20- fathom 

 line. 



