32 
Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 
Irachia pileus, and various small Crustacea such as N'ebalia. A speci- 
men of the parasitic larva of Halcampa chrysanthellum (cf . Proceedings 
Eoyal Dublin Society (IS'.S.), vol. v., 1887, p. 473) was found attached 
to the sub-umbrella of a Leptomedusoid. The tow-net gatherings, 
however, never proved to be particularly interesting, owing, probably, 
to the general inclemency of the weather. 
Dredging commenced from 28 to 38 miles from shore, in the area 
locally known as the IN'ymph Bank. We were anxious to have a few 
scrapes here, as this may be considered historical ground, having ren- 
dered many rarities to the late Dr. E. Ball of Dublin. Por the first 
time we saw a living specimen of the British Gorgonid {Gorgonia 
verrucosa) : of this Mr. Thomas made a life-like sketch. The very 
short time we spent here proved that the ground is well worthy of 
a more minute study. A pale-coloured new species of Edwardsia 
{E. tecta, Hadd.), and two examples of the erect variety of Epizo- 
anthus papillosus, associated with a Pagurus, were also obtained. This 
encrusting colonial Actinian entirely surrounds a dead gasteropod shell 
inhabited by a hermit-crab. The Epizoanthus has the remarkable 
power of dissolving away the hard moUuscan shell, and replacing it 
with its own sand-impregnated tissues. The shelter of the Pagurid or 
Carcinaecium, as it is termed, thus comes to be formed entirely by the 
Actinian ; and as the hermit-crab increases in size, the Epizoanthus 
colony extends at the same time, so that, unlike other hermit-crabs, 
those associated with the Epizoanthus have not to provide themselves 
with a new home after each moult. The most noteworthy capture at 
this station was a specimen of Keomenia. This is the first Irish 
locality for this genus, and also the second unequivocal British record. 
A form which he could not identify was found by Sir J ohn Dalyell 
in the Pirth of Perth, and named by him Vermiculus crassus (The 
Powers of the Creator, ii., 1853, p. 88, Plate x., fig. 11). This was 
renamed Solenopus dalyelU^ by J. Keren and D. C. Danielssen in 1877 
(cf. Ann. and Mag. of I^at. Hist. (5) iii., p. 327, for translation of the 
Paper referred to). Canon A. M. Norman found the type species 
{Neomenia carinata, TuUb.) in the Shetland Seas ("On the Occur- 
rence of I^eomenia (Solenopus) m the British Seas," Ann. and Mag. 
of N'at. Hist. (5), iv., 1879, p. 164). 
It was our intention to dredge Labadie Bank, and to spend the 
night there; but the sea became rough, and most of the staff were 
disabled. As this prevented satisfactory work from being accom- 
plished, we determined to make for a sheltered bay, and we reached 
Glandore late that night. 
