138 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [432] 
in this region. The Trophonia affinis (Plate XIV, fig. 75) is more com- 
mon, though found chiefly in the deeper waters, and more frequently in 
the cold waters outside, as off Cuttyhunk Island and off Block Island. 
Ampharete setosa V. has been found only in Long Island Sound, near 
New Haven. The Melinna cristata is a northern and European species; 
it was found in the deeper part of Vineyard Sound, inhabiting flexible 
tubes covered with finemud. Huchone elegans V. (Plate XVI, fig. 84) was 
found in the deeper parts of Vineyard Sound, living in small tubes of 
mud; it was much more abundant in the deeper waters outside. The 
Meckelia ingens (p. 349, Plate XIX, figs. 96, 96a) occasionally occurs on 
muddy bottoms, though more common on sandy ones. 
Of Gastropod mollusks a comparatively small number of species oc- 
cur that are characteristic of these bottoms. There are several species 
that occur on eel-grass, when it grows on the muddy bottoms, which are 
not included in the following list. They have been mentioned when 
speaking of the fauna of muddy and sandy shores. 
Among the species of special interest were Mangilia cerina, which is 
ya rare and little-known species; Bela plicata (p. 383, Plate XXI, fig. 
107); Turbonilla elegans, (p. 418, Plate XXIV, fig. 155), which was re- 
cently described from specimens obtained in Vineyard Sound by us; 
T. interrupta, (p. 418 ;) two species of Scalaria, (p.418;) Cylichna oryza, 
(Plate XXV, fig. 164;) Amphisphyra pellucida, (Plate XXV, fig. 1625) 
and Utriculus canaliculatus, (Plate XXV, fig. 160). 
jhe bivalve shells are much more numerous and are mostly burrowing 
kinds. Among the most abundant are Mulinia lateralis, (p. 373, Plate 
XXVI, fig. 184 B,) which occurs in immense quautities, especially in soft 
sticky mud; Clidiophora trilineata, (Plate XX VII, fig. 193 ;) Tellina tenta 
(Plate XXX, fig. 225,) which is often very abundant in soft mud, in shel- 
tered places, as in Hadley Harbor; Callista convexa, (Plate XXX, fig. 
219 ;) Nucula proxima, (Plate XXX, fig. 230;) Yoldia limatula, (Plate XXX, 
232 ;) Astarte castanea, (Plate XXIX, fig. 204 ;) and Mytilus edulis, (p. 307.) 
The last-named shell, which is the common muscle, occurs in patches, 
“beds,” or “banks,” often of great extent. One of these muscle-beds, in 
which the animals were living, was found extending quite across the 
mouth of Cuttyhunk Harbor, at line 75, f, on the chart; another at 
Quick’s Hole, at line 76, c, and 45, a, b; others at 77, d, e, f; 46, b, ¢, d. 
In several instances large beds of dead muscles were found, with few 
living ones, and in all these cases there were on them large numbers of 
star-fishes, either Asterias arenicola, in case of those in Vineyard Sound; 
or Asterias vulgaris on those in the deeper and colder waters near the 
entrance of the Sound and off Gay Head; and sometimes both kinds, at 
intermediate localities. These star-fishes had no doubt devoured the 
muscles. Among the localities of this kind are, 47, a, b, c,d; 53, b, ¢; 
56, b, c,d; 55, a,b, ¢; 63,a,b; 58,d; 54,b. As this species of muscle 
grows to full size, under favorable circumstances, in one year, it is prob- 
able that these muscle-beds vary greatly in size and position in different 
