J905 ^OiSiS-i^,— Invertebrate Fauna of Skerries, Co. Dublin. 21 i 



Pectcn maximus.— Three well grown living specimens from 15^ fath., 



between Rockabill and Church Is., along with numerous living 



examples of P. opcrctil<M-is. 

 P. tlgrinus.— A single valve from 8 fath. and another from 14 fath. 

 Axinus f lexuosus.— One, living, from 13 fath. ; single valves from 8, 



13, and 14 fath. Rather frequent in shell sand at North Bull iu June 



last, and at the Shelly Bank in August last. 

 Telllna donacina.— A single valve from 8 fath. 

 Scroblcularia prismatica.— A single valve from 13 fath. 

 Cardium exigruum.— A single valve from 3 fath. 

 C. fasciatum.— One living from 8 fath. : valves from 13 and 14 fath. 

 C. nodosum. — Seven living examples from 8 fath. : numerous valves 



from 13 and 14 fath. 

 Solen pcllucidus.— Two double valves from 13 fath. : many single 



valves from 5 distinct hauls ranging from 4 to 13 fath. 

 Thracia distorta.— A single valve from 13 fath. north of Church Is. 



Of the few Polyzoa collected, the most frequent was 

 Bowerbankia imbricata. This was brought up at almost every 

 haul from 8 to i^h fath., and in some cases was ver}^ luxuriant, 

 exceeding 4 inches in height. To the Zoophytes already 

 listed as included in the 14 fath. haul, the other hauls added 

 but 3 species, Eudendrimn ramosuni, Aiitennularia ariterinina, 

 and Pluinalaria Catharina ; all of these occurred but once. 

 Of all the Zoophytes noted, the commonest was C amp ariul aria 

 verticillata, which appeared in every haul from 8 fathoms 

 downward. Next in frequency came Antenn2daria 7'amosaj 

 Hydrallinania falcata, and Hatecium halccinuin^ the first of these 

 often a very beautiful object, as its bright orange branchings 

 came to the surface. One example from a depth of 13 fathoms 

 E. of Church Is. measured full}^ 10 inches in height and in 

 spread of branches. This even extorted the admiration of the 

 boatmen, who, speaking of the contents of the dredge-bag in 

 general, had been careful to let me know that they " put no 

 pass on them things," to " put pass on " being the Skerries 

 idiom equivalent to " set value on." 



The Echinoderms collected, being but few, may be set out 

 here in full : — 



Comatula rosacea,— Quite rare. One perfect example from 13I fath., 

 and several broken arms from 13 fath. When placed in spirit the 

 single specimen captured exuded its exquisite carmine dye, which in 

 a few seconds tinged the whole contents of the phial. 



