10 Observations upon the Habits, Structure and (January, 
We made a large number of dredgings but the dredge used was 
too coarse and heavy for such work, and as we had had no idea of 
finding Amphioxus at this place, we were unprovided with one of 
suitable construction. It is probable that with a proper dredge, 
perhaps a ring dredge, made light and with fine meshes, they 
could be taken in this locality in fair numbers, and it is possible 
- that places might be found along our coast, if searched for, where 
they could be taken in as great abundance as at Naples and Mes- 
sina, in Italy. And where the adults are found the young could 
be taken also, if looked for during the breeding season, which in 
this country is probably during the months of June and July. I 
base this statement upon‘*the facts that my young specimens, 
which were somewhat advanced in development, were taken 
mostly during the second and third weeks of July, and that only j 
one specimen could be secured after the close of that month. 
Amphioxus does not appear to be a difficult animal to keep if 
supplied with plenty of sand in which to burrow, and a daily 
change of water of a density equal to that which is found at the 
place of its capture, My adults remained alive and appeared to 
_ be in fine condition as long as I could give them water which 
came in fresh from the sea every day, but in September they were 
carried up the bay to Tangier’s sound, where being unable to 
supply them with suitable water they soon showed unmistakable | 
signs of debility, and on the 1oth inst. they were placed. in picric — 
acid to be ready for future service. None of the young remained — 
alive as long as did the adults, and only a few grew so well and — 
appeared so vigorous as to indicate that they would reach 
maturity. Some of them, from some cause, became dwarfed and _ 
drawn out of shape so as to look, in one or two cases, like a large 
letter S, and others, probably. from the erosive or wearing action 4 
of bits of sand, or something of the kind, which had entered the 
stomach and intestines along with the food, had lost portions, and — 
sometimes half of their bodies, and yet these little deformed and 
maimed animals lived sometimes for a week in such condition, — 
evincing certainly a good degree of vitality, and enabling us, if — 
Amphioxus is really one of the earliest of animals, the better to 4 
appreciate the “ why and the wherefore” of the persistence of 4 
this species to present time. 
The Skeleton—The framework of Amphioxus is entirely car- 
tilaginous, and is composed of the notochord; a serics of processes — 
SE oe MP Pen bg eee TTE EER, Sig 
ie ee eee ee A S 
