KUNGL. SV. VET. AKADEMIENS HANDLINGAR. BAND 39. N:o |. 89 
very common on the coast of New England, from Vineyard Sound northward, of 
Casco Bay and near St George's Bank. Both STIMPSON' and PoURTALES” report it 
from the Atlantic Coast of the U. states. Furthermore, it is by no means rare off 
the coasts of England, Scotland and Ireland (FORBES, BAIRD etc.). In consequence of 
this, it follows that Ph. strombi is dispersed all over the North-Atlantic Ocean, from 
Europa to America. Moreover, it has also been dredged up off the coast of France 
e. g. at Arcachon (according to CUÉNOT') and in the Gulf of Gascogne (according to 
SLUITER '); it is also met with in the Mediterranean (MARION, GRUBE ete.). With 
regard to its bathymetrical distribution it has been dredged up from depths varying 
from a few fathoms to 1836 m. (DANIELSSEN and KOREN). 
I have made repeated, but hitherto vain, attempts to distinguish the two 
Phascolion strombi and Ph. spetsbergense, one from the other. It is true that the 
forma spetsbergensis is often larger and as a rule devoid of hooks behind the tentacles. 
But no rule without exceptions. I have seen several arctic specimens, which have 
been provided with hooks, have been of the same size as the southern forms and 
have shown the same colour and general appearance. It may be enough to refer to 
some instances. From 56 m. S. W. of South Cape, 75” 58 n.—13” 18' e., 350 m., 
I have seen a specimen, 13 mm. long, provided with a girdle of hooks behind the 
tentaeles. The State-Museum is also in possession of many specimens from King 
Charle's Land, all of them provided with hooks. To sum up, I have had the oppor- 
tunity of to studying so many transition stages between the true Phascolion strombi 
and the typical, dark and large "forma spetsbergensis”, that I have found it impos- 
sible to draw a line of demarcation between them. The most that can be said is, 
that several of the forms from the Arctic, though by no means all, may be looked 
upon as forming a "variety" by themselves. 
According to my opinion, the Phascolion cementarium and tubicola of VERRILL 
may be identical with Phascolion strombi. The description given by VERRILL can 
hardly claim to be critical. Thus, for instance, he writes: "and at the end nearly 
always bears from 3 to 8 small, but prominent, peculiar bodies, having a slender 
pedicel and a elavate or globular head; their nature is doubtful (they may be sens- 
orgams [sic !], but should be examined on living specimens)". 
1 Synopsis of the Marine Imvertebrata of Grand Manan. 1853, 
2? Proceed. Amer. Assos. 1851. 
3 Contributions å la Faune du Bassin d'Areachon — Soc. scient. d'Areachon, 6=e Année, 1902. 
+ Géphyriens provenant des Campagnes de YHirondelle et de la Princesse-Alice (1886—1887), 
Monaco 1900. 
