of Edinburgh, Session 1881-82. 
695 
the oceanic abysses.* Only Elpidia glacicdis , Thdel, has as yet been 
observed living at comparatively small and moderate depths, about 
40 to 100 fathoms, in the Sea of Kara, but the same species was also 
obtained not far from Greenland, during a Swedish expedition, at a 
depth of 950 fathoms. The Norwegian Arctic dredging expedition 
also procured from great depths many specimens larger than those 
from the Sea of Kara ; and the “ Challenger ” expedition brought 
home an individual, dredged at Station 160, lat. 42° 42' S., long. 
134° 10' E., south of Australia, in a depth of 2600 fathoms. From 
this it is manifest that while Elpidia glacialis is able to exist at a 
great variety of depths, it is really a deep sea form. 
Only two forms ( Uyodsemon macidatus , Thdel, and Orphnurgus 
asper, Thdel) are known to live at a depth less than 500 fathoms, and 
a few from 500 to 1000 fathoms ; the remainder, about thirty 
species, are found' at depths ranging from 1000 to 2900 fathoms. 
The order Elasipoda seems to be represented in all oceans, and the 
largest, most peculiar, and most characteristic forms prefer the 
greatest depths. The number of deep-sea dredgings being small in 
comparison with the large area of ocean, it is as yet almost impos- 
sible to arrive at any exact idea of the distribution of genera and 
species. As a matter of fact, however, the genus Elpidia, for 
instance, has a very wide distribution, its species having been 
observed at almost all parts of the sea, from the Arctic Ocean to lat. 
60° 52' S., long. 80° 20' E. south of Kerguelen Islands, and not very 
far from the antarctic circle, as well as in more scattered localities 
around the world. As to the distribution of species it has already 
been mentioned that Elpidia glacialis and Lsetmogone violctcea 
appear to be very widely distributed, and Oneirophanta mutabilis has 
also been procured by the “ Challenger ” expedition at seven different 
stations around the world, but not in the Atlantic Ocean. 
Eckinocucumis typica, Sars ( Ofversigt af Norges Ecliinodermer 
Christiania, 1861, pp. 102-108, pi. x. figs. 11-20, pi. xi. figs. 1-17), 
Station 7, 530 fathoms. Four specimens. 
Thy one raphanus , Dub. and Koren ( Ofversigt af Shmdincwlens 
Ecliinodermer ; Kongl. Sv. V. Akad. Handl ., 1877, pp. 311-312, pi. 
xi. fig. 58-59, pi. v. figs. 49-55). 
* As far as our present knowledge goes, no Elasipoda are found living at 
depths less than 40 fathoms. 
