OFF THE EAST COAST OF SCOTLAND. 9o 



but on further examples being examined, a portion of the lower 

 surface in one or two was seen to be smooth, uncovered with 

 sponge, and showed a shelly structure. On cutting one across 

 it was found that the crab had originally obtained possession 

 of a JFusus gracilis or F. 'propinquus : this had become coated 

 with sponge except in that portion where constant friction, due 

 to the movement of the crab, prevented the sponge from ob- 

 taining a hold. The substance of the shell itself had become 

 soft. 



The Mollusca consisted mostly of dead shells of Lucina horealis, 

 Linn., Cyprina islandica, Linn., Venus striatus, Solen pellucidus, 

 Penn., Apor7^hais pes-pelecani, Linn., Tectura testudinalis, MiilL, 

 Fusus islandimis, Chemn., Buccimom undatum, and Natica groen- 

 landica. 



July 2nd, the tow-net yielded but small returns ; the day was 

 foggy. At 1 P.M., when about three miles from shore, and in 

 twenty fathoms of water, one of the cod fishes locally called a 

 saithe (^Gadus virens), weighing about 12 lb., was captured by a 

 hand-line baited with salt junk. In its stomach I found one sand- 

 lauDce {Ammodytes), five small haddocks, as well as a large 

 pebble. 



Dredge no. 3 was put down at 9.15 a.m., at about ten miles 

 off" Aberdeen, in lat. 57° 8' N. and long. V 44' W., in thirty- 

 eight fathoms water, the surface-temperature being 56°, and 49'^ 

 at the bottom, which consisted of mud or fine sand. There 

 were no fish in the dredge, but more crabs than in the two 

 preceding trials ; there were nearly fifty purple heart-urchins. 



The stalk-eyed Crustacea consisted of: — 2 Inachus dorset- 

 tensis ; 8 Jlyas coarctatics, two of which had numerous ova ; a small 

 Portunus marmoreus ; Carcinus mcenas ; 14 Pagurus Bernhardus, 

 Linn. ; 2 P. Pndeauxii, Leach ; 1 small GalatJiea squamifera, 

 Mont.; 8 Grangon Allmanni; 4 Hippolyte spinus, Sow.; 4 II . 

 TJiompsoni ; 1 Caridina varians, Leach ; 1 Pandalus annulicornis, 

 Leach ; 2 Palcemon serratus, Penn. ; and 3 Mysis vzilgm^is. 



The following Mollusca were obtained : — Anomia epliippium ; 

 Pecten iigrimos, Mvill. ; P. opercularis, Linn. ; P. similis, Laskey ; 

 Nucula nucleus, L. ; Leda minuta, Mlill. ; Lucina horealis, L. j Car- 

 dium fasciatum, Mont. ; Gyprina islandica, L. ; Asfarte compressa, 

 Mont. ; A. sulcata ; Venus ovata, Penn. ; V. striatus L. ; Montacida 

 substriata; Psammoiiaferroensis, Chemn. ; Mactra elliptica. Brown ; 

 Th-acia papyracea, Poli ; Solen pellucidus, Penn. ; Dentalium 



