23

H.—lsa

Anomuea. Hermit-crabs were taken in nearly every cast of the trawl, often in great numbers. The following species have been identified : — Eupagurus novce-zealandice, Dana; common. Eupagurus cookii, Filhol; Golden Bay, 10 fathoms; Tasman Bay, 27 fathoms. Eupagurus edivardsii, Filhol; off Otago Heads. Eupagurus rubricatus, Henderson; common in Tasman and Golden Bays, and off Otago Heads. Stratiotes setosus, G. M. Thomson ; off Otago Heads. Munida sub-rugosa, White ; Tasman Bay, 27 fathoms. Grimothea gregaria, Leach; whale-feed is abundant along the east coast of Otago, but becomes rare north of Lyttelton. Galatheapusilla, Henderson ; common in Tasman Bay, in 30 fathoms. Petrolisthes nov<z-zealandice, Filhol; Blueskin Bay, 10 fathoms ; Tasman Bay, 30 fathoms. Macbuea. Crayfish (Palinurus) were occasionally taken in the trawl at several stations, but prawns and shrimps mostly escaped, except when entangled among weeds, seroularians, &c. The following species are among those taken : — . Pontophilus (Grangon) australis, Hutton; common off the east coast of Otago and about Stewart Island. Virbius bifidirostris, Miers; off Otago Heads. This species is of a bright-green colour when alive. Alpheus socialis, Heller. One specimen trawled in Tasman Bay. Leander, sp. A species which appears to be scarcely different from L. affinis, Edw., was taken in Tasman Bay and off the coast of Otago. Schizopoda. Some specimens of opossum shrimps were taken in Tasman and Golden Bays, but have not been identifiedNas yet. Amphipoda. Several species of amphipods occur in the collection, but as they are small, active Crustacea they mostly escaped capture. Very few have yet been identified, but of these one or two are of considerable interest. Liljeborgiahaswelli, Stebbing, was found living in pairs commensally in the upper spires of shells tenanted by hermit-crabs ; but, as far as I have made out, only by the one species, Eupagurus rubricatus. This amphipod is an elegantly coloured species, the thoracic portion of the body being of a fine pinkish-red. Amaryllis macrophthalmus, Haswell. One specimen was obtained at Lyttelton. I also have it from Moko Hinou. It was originally described from Tasmania, and has since been collected in Patagonia. Isopoda. Specimens of this group were not taken abundantly, most being too small to be captured by the wide mesh of the trawl-net. But the species are not, as a rule, such active swimmers as the amphipods, and they were more frequently met with on the ropes, and among the weeds, than specimens of the latter group. Species of Spharoma, Amphoroidea, Aega, and Cymothoa occur. Gassidina neo-zealanica, G. M. Thomson, was got off Otago Heads in shells inhabited by hermitcrabs ; also in Tasman Bay. Nescea canaliculata, G. M. Thomson, occurred frequently in Tasman Bay, at a depth of 30 fathoms. A species of Liriotheca (?), boring among rotten wood, was taken off Timaru. Phyllocaeida. Nebalia longicornis, G. M. Thomson, was taken abundantly among zostera and other weed, o which a great quantity was banked up inside of Farewell Spit. It is a beautiful and lively little species. COPEPODA. The tow-net gatherings include a great many species of this order of small Crustacea, which are of such importance as food material for fishes. The examination of these will take a considerable time. So far, they have only been looked over cursorily. Temora tenuicauda, Brady, was found abundantly in Tasman Bay and off Otago Harbour. It was formerly recorded from Auckland and the Bay of Islands. Dr. Benham records Lernaa branchialis from the red-cod, taken off Timaru at a depth of 40 fathoms. The following genera are represented in the finds: Calanus, Paracalanus, Clausocalanus, Acartia, Gentropages, Labidocera, Oithona, Euterpe, Arnymome, Dactylopus, Phroso, Harpacticus, Peltidium, Scutellidium, Gorycceus, Paurocope, (?) Gentromma, and Artotrogus. OSTEAOODA. i Specimens of this order also occurred in the tow-net gatherings, but not so abundantly as the popepods. Species of Asterope and of Philomedes appear to be represented