NOTES ON SOME SCOTTISH ECHINODERMATA 51 
“ Off Montrose 42 fms.,” are the only localities for this species 
on the east coast of Scotland. 
This species does not appear to be common on our east 
coast, but on the west it is sometimes obtained in great 
ammodance. Inthe early part of 1887 | was on board a 
trawler working over 20 fathoms water off Craigmore, near 
Rothesay, when the trawl net on being hauled up was found 
to contain a large quantity of fine mud, amongst which 
there were a great number of 4rzssopszs. I counted more 
than sixty whole specimens, besides which there were many 
others more or less damaged. This large capture of Brissopsis 
has been however far exceeded by one recorded by Mr. W. 
Anderson Smith in the Fishery Board’s “Ninth Annual 
epone (LoOl), part ii. p. 298. 1 cannot do better than 
quote Mr. Anderson Smith’s description of his interesting cap- 
ture. He says,— Besides the ordinary echinoderms we had 
a most remarkable haul of what-we formerly considered a 
rare form of heart urchin, Arzssopsis lyrifera, completely 
choking our net, which hung like a huge bag of potatoes and 
could mot be lifted. We calculated the quantity of these 
urchins as representing not less than three tons weight.” 
That it should occur in such enormous numbers on the 
west coast and only one or a very few at a time on the east 
coast, where the physical conditions appear to be equally 
favourable for its existence, is rather singular, and is not easily 
explained. Beam-trawling has been more vigorously pro- 
secuted on the east coast than on the west and may have 
something to do with the difference alluded to, but the true 
explanation will have, I think, to be sought for elsewhere. 
