NOETHUMBERLAND AND DURHAM. 141 



Common, from deep water, all along our coast. Remarkably 

 fine specimens were taken in 1863 and 1864 off the Fame Is- 

 lands. It appears to be very plentiful off Cullercoats, as I ob- 

 tained between one hundred and forty and one hundred and 

 fifty specimens from the stomach of a small haddock from that 

 locality ; of course the spines were all gone. 



Family. SPATANGIDiE . 



Genus. SPATANGUS, (Klein). 



1. Spatangus purpureus (Miiller). Purple Heart-urchin. 



Spatangus purpureus, Forbes. Brit. Starfishes (1841), 

 p. 182. 



Deep water, J, A. 



Decidedly common on our coast. I have remarkably fine 

 specimens, from deep water, on the Northumberland coast. Off 

 Seaham they are not so large. 



Genus. BRISSOPSIS, {Agassiz). 



1. Brissopsis lyrifera (Forbes). Fiddle Heart-urchin. 



Brissm tyrifer, Forbes. Brit. Starfishes (1841), p. 187. 



Dredged by Mr. McAndrew, off this coast, J. A. 



The above would lead one to suppose that Mr. Alder had 

 never himself taken it from the fishing lines or other sources. 

 The dredge shows it to be frequent in deep water, both on the 

 Northumberland and Durham coast. I have taken very fine 

 specimens in Berwick Bay, thirty-five to forty-five fathoms, and 

 off Seaham in about thirty fathoms. I suspect it is never found 

 amongst "inshore" dredgings. 



Genus. ECHINOCARDIUM, {Gray). 



1. Echinocardium cordatum {Pennant). (Common Heart-ur- 

 chin — Mermaid's Head). 

 Amphidotus cordatus, Forbes. Brit. Starfishes (1841), 

 p. 190. 



Common, on sandy beaches, J. A. 



