332 
BULLETIN OF THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES 
The common jellyfish of the Atlantic coast, Aurelia, was not found in large 
numbers during 1916, but during the March cruise it was taken in considerable 
numbers in the southern half of the bay. The reddish-colored jellyfish Cyanea, 
which, according to Damas (1909) and also Bigelow, is characteristic of coast or bank 
water, appears in Chesapeake Bay at times. It was abundant during the April cruise 
of 1916 and was found at almost every station from area J, at the mouth of the Poto- 
mac River, to area X, near Baltimore. During the August cruise of 1920 a few large 
specimens were seen in the region of the Potomac. E. A. Andrews reports having 
seen small specimens in the waters of the eastern side of the bay near Love Point, 
which is only a few miles from Baltimore. 
ANTHOZOA 
Slender branches of a gorgonian have been collected on many cruises during 1916, 
1920, 1921, and 1922. These whiplike branches, which may be as much as 60 or 70 
centimeters long, measure scarcely over 1 millimeter in diameter. Some are yellow 
and others reddish in color. They have been taken in the beam trawl and the bottom 
townet at stations near the mouth of the bay ordinarily, but not infrequently speci- 
mens have been found in the region of the mouth of the Potomac River. During 
June, 1921, a few fragments were collected as far north as area R, off Barren Island 
near the mouth of the Patuxent River. None of the specimens was attached to stones, 
shells or other objects, and so there was no evidence to show that they were growing 
on bottom materials. During the May-June cruise of 1921 specimens were brought 
up from the following areas: G' off Old Point Comfort; H at the mouth of the Rappa- 
hannock River; I near the mouth of the Potomac River; A" in the mouth of the same 
river; L' off Holland Island; and R off Barren Island. On no other cruise was such 
an extensive distribution noted — that is, over more than the lower half of the bay — 
but in March, 1922, it was found as far north as the mouth of the Potomac River. 
The records indicate that this gorgonian may be found in the bay at any season, in 
shallow or deep water, but that it does not reach the upper parts of the bay. An 
attempt to identify this species from descriptions made by Verrill lead me to believe 
that it is identical with or closely related to Leptogorgia virgulata (Lmk.), but the 
fragmentary character of the specimens and the lack of confirmation of such an 
identification by specialists make it necessary to consider the conclusions as tentative. 
A. Knyvett Totten, who is working on the gorgonians of the British Museum, has 
examined specimens of the species found in the Cheaspeake, and although he has 
not had access to Verniks material is of the opinion that our species is L. virgulata. 
Only one species of sea anemone has been collected in Chesapeake Bay during 
the cruises of 1916, 1920, 1921, and 1922, but these cruises were limited to operations 
in offshore waters. This unidentified species had a surprising distribution, judging 
from our dredging collections, being found at area Z on the following cruises: 1920, 
August, October, and December; 1921, June; 1922, March; area W, 1920, December; 
1921, June; area V, 1921, June; area T, 1920, July; area R', 1921, March; area P, 
1921, June; and area I, 1920, July. In other words, it was not found below the mouth 
of the Potomac River, and it was taken most often at area Z, off Sandy Point, not far 
from Baltimore. It was always brought up attached to rocks, shells, slag, or other 
hard objects. This form was never taken in the deep-water channel, possibly because of 
a lack of shells and stones for attachment. It was found only in water from 7 to 12 me- 
ters deep, but probably it may be found, by shore collecting, in shallower water; in fact, 
