DREDGING REPORTS. 3 



had gained from previous experience a readiness and interest in 

 their work. So, onboard the ' ' Heatherbell, " we started from 

 Sunderland about six a.m. on the 21st of July. Our work was 

 commenced off Marsden, where we put down the dredges in 

 about 40 fathoms, at a distance of five or six miles from shore. 

 We met with pretty good sport here, bringing up several inter- 

 esting crustacea and zoophytes. Amongst the former were two 

 specimens of Hippolyte securifrons, a fine species first described 

 by Mr. Norman from specimeus taken on this coast and in Shet- 

 land. Perhaps it would have been well had we tarried longer on 

 this bit of ground, but we indulged in the belief that we should 

 spend a day or two here later in the season, and so thinking, the 

 dredges were hauled up after an hour or two's work ; and we 

 steamed ahead for Holy Island, where we arrived during the 

 afternoon. It is needless to enter into details respecting what 

 was done during each day of our stay here. Suffice it to say, 

 that we scraped the sea bottom in every direction, and in various 

 depths, up to 46 fathoms — the deepest water attainable on our 

 coast during a single day's cruise. 



The results of the dredging will be described in detail by the 

 gentlemen who have undertaken the work of reporting on the 

 different classes. In this general preface it will be sufficient to 

 note a few of the more interesting captures. First and foremost 

 is Echinocardium pennatifidum (Norman, M. S.), a fine sea-urchin, 

 hitherto confounded with Echinocardium gihbosum (Agassiz), and 

 previously known as British only from a single specimen taken 

 several years ago in Shetland. Another very interesting Echino- 

 derm, of which a few fine specimens were taken, is Psolus squa- 

 matus, one of the soft-bodied forms (sea-cucumbers), one example 

 of which had been previously obtained on our coast by Mr. Alder. 

 I believe, however, that his specimen was by no means so fine as 

 those dredged last year. A small Echinus, exhibited by Mr. 

 Norman at the Manchester meeting of the British Association, 

 and called by him E. neglectus, var. _Z?., was taken abundantly. 

 This, however, has claims to be regarded as a distinct species, 

 and will be described by Mr. Norman from his Shetland speci- 

 mens under the name of Echinus pictus. Off Dunstanborough 



