86 THE DEPTHS OF THE SEA. [chap. hi. 



specimens procured. Both remained with us the 

 whole summer. 



The first cruise of the ' Porcupine ' under the scien- 

 tific charge of Mr. Gwyn Jeffreys commenced on the 

 18th of May and ended on the 13th of July. It ex- 

 tended for a distance of about 450 miles along the 

 Atlantic coasts of Ireland and Scotland, from Cape 

 Clear to Rockall; and included Lough Swilly and 

 Lough Foyle and the North Channel to BeKast. 



The. first dredgings were made about 40 miles off 

 Valentia, in 110 fathoms water with a bottom of 

 mud and sand. The result of this dredging gives a 

 fair idea of the fauna of the 100-fathom line on the 

 west coast of Ireland. The moUusca are mostly 

 northern species, such as Necera rostrata, Sprenglee; 

 Verticordia abyssicola, Jepfrets; Dentalium abys- 

 sorum, Sars ; Buccinum humphreysianum, Bennett ; 

 and Pleurotoma carmatum, BivoNA. Some however, 

 as Ostrea cochlear, PoLi ; Aporrhais serresianus, 

 Michatid; Murex lamellosus, Cristofoki and Jan; 

 and Trochus granulatus, Boen, — are Mediterranean 

 forms, and impart somewhat of a southern character 

 to the assemblage. Cidaris papillata, Leske ; Echi- 

 nus rarispina, G. O. Sars ; E. elegans, D. and K. ; 

 Spatangus raschi, LoviiiN ; and several varieties of 

 Caryophyllia borealis, Pleming, were abundant: 

 but these species seem to abound at a depth of from 

 100 to 200 fathoms from the Mediterranean to the 

 North Cape. 



After coaling at Galway they proceeded southwards, 

 and as the weather was very rough and unpromising 

 they dredged in shallow water, from 20 to 40 fathoms, 

 in Dingle Bay : and the next week, with improving 



