366 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. 

 Bryo.zoa and Ascidians. * 



Page. 



Molgula Mauhattensis 361 



Escliarella variabilis 361 



Page. 



Bugula turrita 361 



RADIATA. 



Echinoderms. 



Page. . Page 



Thy one Briareus 362 



Oaudina arenata 362 



Leptosyuapta Girardii 361 



L. roseola 362 



Echinarachnius paruia 362 



Asterias arenicola 363 



Opbiura olivacea 363 



Polyps. 



Page. 



Halocampa producta 363 



Saarartia modesta . 363 



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Sagartia leacolena 363 



Paraetis rapiformis 363 



II. 3. — FAUNA OF THE MUDDY SHORES OF THE BAYS AND SOUNDS. 



Tbe muddy shores in this region grade almost insensibly into tbe sandy 

 shores; and shores that are entirely of mud, without any admixture of fine 

 sand, rarely occur except in the estuaries and lagoons. Therefore we 

 find, as might have been anticipated, that it is difficult to draw a very 

 definite line between the animals living upon the sandy shores and those 

 living upon the muddy shores and flats. Many of the species seem, also, 

 to be equally at home, whether living in mud or sand, and many others 

 prefer a mixture, although capable of living in either. But if we were 

 to compare the animals living in pure sand with those living in clear 

 mud, the two lists would be quite different, although a considerable 

 number would be common to both lists. Moreover, the eel-grass grows 

 in considerable quantities both upon sandy and muddy shores, in cer- 

 tain localities, and a large number of species which inhabit the eel-grass 

 will, therefore, be found in both lists. 



In discussing the species found on sandy shores, in the preceding 

 pages, references have constantly been made to other stations inhabited 

 by many of the species, and especially in the case of those that are com- 

 mon to the sandy and muddy shores. Therefore it will not be necessary 

 to repeat the facts in this connection, but the species will be enumerated 

 in the list at the end of this section. 



A considerable number of species have their place in this list chiefly 

 because they occur on beds of oysters planted on muddy shores, at and 

 just below low-water mark. Without these artificial stations some of 

 them would hardly be found on such shores, or at least but rarely. It 

 is evident that the shells of oysters, when in large quantities, supply, to 



