320 PELAGIC LIFE, FALMOUTH. 



nudibranch, 1 think it will be necessary to introduce here the 

 following facts. There are usually moored about 100 yards 

 north of the Foundry seven coal hulks. The sea-bottom 

 in this region is composed mostly of mud, from which a 

 fine growth of Zostera springs. Indeed the growth is so 

 luxuriant, that one experiences the greatest difficulty in dredging 

 anything from this locality. During extreme low water at 

 spring tides, the keels of the vessels are within a few feet of 

 the sea bottom, but never actually rest thereon. About every 

 twelve months or so, the owners find it necessary to beach, 

 scrape, and finally tar these hulks, in order to keep them in 

 good order. It is my custom to watch when these hulks are 

 beached, for one finds various species of Ascidians, Hydroids, 

 and Polyzoa on their sides, and often interesting and at times 

 rare specimens are secured by these means. In addition to 

 examining these hulks when beached, on calm mornings once a 

 fortnight or more frequently, I make an examination of the 

 sides of these vessels when at their moorings, to see if any new 

 forms have appeared since I last examined them. 



On the 9th of October of the present year, I found on one 

 coal hulk while at her moorings, quantities of Polycera 

 quadrilineata. Indeed, these mollusks were so numerous on the 

 sides of this vessel, about three inches below the water-line, that 

 without shifting my boat, I collected two dozen specimens. On 

 the 12th of December, 1891, I found near Trefusis point a single 

 specimen of Polycera ocellata 6 m.m. in length. On the 25th of 

 January, near the same place, I found one Doris coccinea, and 

 on the 28th of March following, another specimen of that 

 species near the same locality. 



On the 31st of the same month, during a ramble round 

 Helford at low water, I found ^olis papillosa literally swarming 

 on the bar. In places these mollusks were so numerous that I 

 had to pick my way in order to avoid crushing them. Groniodoris 

 nodosa was also abundant under the clumps of Fuci left 

 exposed by the tide. Some large specimens of Doris tuberculata 

 were also noticed in the same locality. 



On the 12th of February I captured while dredging, one 

 JEgirus punctillucens 1 c.m. in length. 



