SOME NOTES ON THE MARINE ZOOLOGY OF 

 ALDERNEY. 



BY MR. ERIC W. SHARP. 



Although the land fauna of this island is well known, 

 thanks to the energetic work of the members of this Society, 

 the Marine Fauna has been practically untouched, with the 

 exception of the shells. 



Low spring tides happened to coincide with the Easter 

 vacation, so I determined to spend a few days in Alderney, 

 and do some shore hunting. The coast gives one the impres- 

 sion of being a good hunting ground. It has rocky capes 

 separated by stretches of sand and zostera ; the rocks are 

 broken up into gullies and caves such as marine creatures love, 

 and the tides run with such force as to ensure the perpetual 

 renewal of the water. My hopes were by no means groundless, 

 in fact the coast turned out to be far more productive than I 

 anticipated. The richness of these shores may be gauged 

 from the statement that I obtained as many as 120 species in 

 the three days spent there. Quantity is not everything, but 

 in this case there was quality as well ; for many of our rarest 

 forms were found, besides one species new to the Sarnian 

 area, as far as I know. 



In the following pages will be found notes on the most 

 interesting of my captures, but as they are chiefly rarities, I 

 have refrained from giving the exact localities where they 

 were found. 



In conclusion I would like to thank the authorities of the 

 Marine Biological Station of Plymouth for kindly identifying 

 specimens submitted to them. 



PORIFERA. 



Although the structure of the coast seems eminently 

 suited to the needs of the Sponges, their numbers, taken all 

 around, were disappointing. If not as numerous as in 

 Guernsey, however, they were there in tolerable plenty and 

 [1909.] 



