NORTHUMBERLAND AND DURHAM. 121 



and so far as this particular locality (Seaharn) is concerned, I do 

 not apprehend any species have been overlooked : south of this 

 I have never collected. Fortunately, the northern part of our 

 district was well investigated in 1862-3 and 1864 during the 

 dredging expeditions of those years, when much valuable infor- 

 mation and a number of species were obtained :* but. for these 

 expeditions, the long stretch of coast from the Tyne to Holy 

 Island must have remained unexplored, so far as my personal 

 experience was concerned, with the exception of sundry visits 

 to Cullercoats during 1866. 



So far as I am aware, our much valued and talented friend, 

 the late Mr. Alder, was the only one amongst us who systema- 

 tically collected the Echinoderms of our coast. The Rev. A. 

 M. Norman, Mr. G. S. Brady, and Mr. Robert Embleton (of 

 Beadnel) have, it is true, collected from time to time, but they 

 have not given any special attention to these captures ; for al- 

 though Mr. Norman may be said to be our authority on these 

 animals, his observations have been more particularly confined 

 to the Shetland Seas, and I shall have to draw largely upon the 

 most valuable observations he has published thereon. All of 

 these friends have assisted me with information, for which I 

 would here record my obligations. The late Mr. Alder kindly 

 furnished me with a list of species which he had taken, or knew 

 had been taken, on the Northumberland coast : his list comprised 

 twenty-nine species. Starting with it as my foundation, I have 

 confirmed the names which he gave me,t and have added thereto 

 (assisted by Messrs. Norman and Brady) other fourteen species. 

 The total number of species known at this time to inhabit our 

 sea is therefore forty-three, viz. : — 



Crinoidea 1 



Ophiuroidea 12 



Asteroidea 11 



Echinoidea 10 



Holothuroidea 9 



* See reports of deep sea dredging on the coasts of Northumberland and Durham, in Nat. 

 Hist. Trans, for 1864. 



t Excepting Tliyonidium commune, which see. 

 t I have adopted Mr. Norman's very excellent plan of summarising. 



