MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 297 
some places the bottom must have been paved with them, just as the 
shallows are sometimes paved with Starfishes and Echini, and many 
species hitherto considered as extremely rare are found to be really 
abundant. Most, or perhaps all, the deep-sea Atlantic species obtained 
by the “Challenger” have been rediscovered in large numbers. Such 
rare species as Sigsbeia murrhina, Ophiozona nivea, Hemyeuryale pustu- 
lata, and Ophiocanax histrix, were found in plenty. Among the repre- 
sentatives of northern seas may be cited Astronyxw Loveni (1), while a 
single specimen of Ophiophyllum represents the great rarities. Of 
Astrocnida isidis, of which only three specimens were known, we have 
half a dozen. A large Pectinura recalls the shallow fauna of the East 
Indies, while a new Ophiernus brings to mind the Antarctic deep-sea 
forms. Finally, the supposed abundance of simple armed Astrophytons 
is fully confirmed by the various species of Astrochema, and by a new 
species of Ophiocreas. 
The diligent search of Count Pourtalés in the Straits of Florida, the 
Hassler Expedition, the “Challenger” explorations, and the two expe- 
ditions of the “Blake,” have evidently brought up the majority of the 
species of Ophiurans; for among the enormous mass of specimens this 
time obtained the number of new species is not very great, 
The Hydroids and Bryozoa were mainly represented by the same 
forms as those collected last year, or in former Coast Survey expeditions 
in the Florida Straits. 
The Corals, although abundant in specimens and species, probably 
contain but few undescribed ones. Very fine specimens of the larger, 
simple corals obtained by the “Challenger” Expedition, which were 
never found in our earlier dredgings in the Gulf of Mexico or Straits of 
Florida, were dredged here, such as Flabellum, Trochocyathus, Cerato- 
trochus, ete. Several of the deop-sea Actinz, described by Moseley, 
were obtained, generally attached to Sponge spicules, Gorgonie, or 
stems of Umbellaria. 
The Alcyonarians were also very abundant, and among them we ex- 
pect to find many novelties. Little can be said of them at first view, 
as the deep-water forms have thus far received but little attention. 
One form, growing in a regular spiral, with equidistant branchlets on 
the outer side of the spire, seems, by this mode of growth, to differ 
from anything previously known in that order. Several fine specimens 
of Umbellaria were obtained. 
Among the Annelids, thetubicolous Annelids are by far the most 
striking, from the exquisite beauty of some of their tubes, composed of 
