COPEPODA FROM WEST OF IRELAND. 131 



already known. But with the vastly more numerous, mud 

 loving, sedentary, and wholly or semi-parasitic species of 

 Copepoda the case is different. Investigations as to the 

 food of fishes have shown us that even scarce species, and 

 but recently known Copepoda, as in the case of Jonesiella 

 hycence, are found largely in the stomachs of young fishes, 

 being evidently selected as their chief food and probably 

 found in quantities near to the spawning grounds. From 

 this aspect even apparently lifeless mud has under the 

 microscope much to teach us. In addition to the examin- 

 ation of deposits it is evident that Sponges, Ccelenterates, 

 Echinoderms, Worms, Molluscs, Nudibranchs, and As- 

 cidians will all richly reward careful search ; for judging 

 from past results, they are the hosts of many highly 

 organized species of Copepoda, each specially adapted to 

 its particular host and that alone. 



"While sincerely thanking Mr. Browne and his friends 

 for the amount of valuable material collected, I must 

 again express the hope that w T e may at a future time be 

 enabled to know as much of the Valencia sedentary 

 species of Copepoda as we now do of the free-swimmers. 



The accompanying table represents the distribution of 

 free-swimming Copepoda in or about Valencia harbour 

 from July, 1896 to March, 1897. 



