Gamble — Fauna and Flora of Valencia Harbour, Ireland. 745 



IV. — The Ch^tognatha. By F. W. Gamble, M.Sc, 

 Owens College, Manchester. 



The following E-eport, on the Chsetognatha of Valencia Harbour, 

 is based upon collections representative of a long series of tow-nettings 

 made by Mr. E. T. Browne in 1895 and 1896, and by the Misses Delap 

 during 1896-8. The most notable feature of these gatherings is a 

 specimen of Sagitta furcata^ a species only recently described from 

 the South Atlantic and the Sargasso Sea, and the only representative 

 in the collection sent to me of the Hexaptera group. It is very 

 probable, however, that deep-sea tow-nettings off the Valencia coast 

 will reveal the presence of other members of this group. Two 

 additional forms, Sagitta hipunctata and Spadella ceplialoptera, com- 

 plete the list of the Chaetognatha at present knowTi from Valencia 

 Harbour. 



Sagitta bipunctata, Quoy et Graimard. 



The series of tow-nettings made by Mr. Browne showed that 

 this widely distributed species was taken during our first visit 

 to Valencia (April and May, 1895), and during the second 

 (July to September, 1896). The Misses Delap record it as 

 occurring in the harbour every month from October, 1896, to 

 December, 1898, except dxuing February of the latter year, 

 when a very few tow-nettings were made. 



Prom notes kindly supplied to me by Mr, Browne, I am able 

 to add a statement of the size and abundance of this species in 

 Valencia Harbour at different times of the year. In the spring, 

 Sagitta hipunctata is not abundant, and, indeed, on some 

 occasions, very scarce. The specimens measure from 10 to 

 35 mm. in length ; so that many of them are full grown. 

 Aboiit the end of July and early in August, the young stages, 

 measuring 3 to 5 mm. in length, become common ; while in 

 in October small specimens (up to 6 mm.) and full-grown adults 

 (20-25 mm.) occui' together in the same gatherings. About 

 the end of October and early in Jfovember a vast shoal is 

 formed, composed chiefly of specimens, 10-15 mm. in length, 

 and evidently belonging to the summer's brood. These shoals 

 of Sagitta hipunctata have occm^red regularly at the same time 



