EFFECT OF LINES ON ASCIDIANS AND SHELL—FISHES.
49_
penetrating the tough tests of the latter (Ascidians) as the
lines are carried by the currents.
Only from the liners are
the curious and rather rare ‘ sandy—nipples’ (Pelo7zcm‘a) pro—
cured—another of the remarkable forms characteristic of St
Andrews.
Hundreds are sometimes brought on shore, the
drifting books having penetrated the thinner superior part
-
of the test as the creature was plying its respiratory and
nutritive currents on the bottom.
None have yet been ob,
tained from the trawl, for the ground is rough.
_
The multi—
tudes of dead shells brought up by the liners have been one
of the richest elds for the encrusting forms of the Polyzoa—
such as Lep7‘aZdœ, the foliaceous—as Escham and Retepom,
and the more or less ramied Oellepom and Seriala7°ia.
When we come to the group of the shell—shes or mollusks,
the great variety that have been obtained from the hooks of
'
the liners for hundreds of years is noteworthy. N0 collection
of marine shells, worthy of the name, and made long before
trawling was introduced into Scottish waters, exists—but is
a
standing proof of the fact that the books are almost as
effective in furnishing rare specimens as the trawl. Some of
the smaller forms, indeed, are more surely obtained in this
way than
by the trawl.
Many are found in the débris
attached to the masses of horse-mussels so frequently brought
up from the bottom, others are xed to dead valves of the
larger shells, or have their siphons, foot or other parts, pierced
by the books.
On the zoophytes brought up by the lines, such
naked forms as D0t0, and, on Alcg)0nium, T7*z't09zz'a pZebcia are
found in numbers, while the larger Tritom‘a H0mbergü, “a Sea
lemon,” is occasionalIy pierced by a hook as it drags over the
bottom.
The active cuttle—shes donot seem to be frequently
caught by the books, though, when attacking the shes on the
lines, or interfeng with hait, an arm or other part is now and
then xed.
In contrast with, the trawl, however, few cuttle-'
‘
shesare_ captured by the lines.
'
It is by no means to be supposed from the foregoing remarks
that any blame is to be attached to the liner for interfering
«
With the bottom—fauna.
The notion would be unwarrantabIe.
Inthe course of his operations
the forms indicated have been
M. B.
_
'
4
49_
penetrating the tough tests of the latter (Ascidians) as the
lines are carried by the currents.
Only from the liners are
the curious and rather rare ‘ sandy—nipples’ (Pelo7zcm‘a) pro—
cured—another of the remarkable forms characteristic of St
Andrews.
Hundreds are sometimes brought on shore, the
drifting books having penetrated the thinner superior part
-
of the test as the creature was plying its respiratory and
nutritive currents on the bottom.
None have yet been ob,
tained from the trawl, for the ground is rough.
_
The multi—
tudes of dead shells brought up by the liners have been one
of the richest elds for the encrusting forms of the Polyzoa—
such as Lep7‘aZdœ, the foliaceous—as Escham and Retepom,
and the more or less ramied Oellepom and Seriala7°ia.
When we come to the group of the shell—shes or mollusks,
the great variety that have been obtained from the hooks of
'
the liners for hundreds of years is noteworthy. N0 collection
of marine shells, worthy of the name, and made long before
trawling was introduced into Scottish waters, exists—but is
a
standing proof of the fact that the books are almost as
effective in furnishing rare specimens as the trawl. Some of
the smaller forms, indeed, are more surely obtained in this
way than
by the trawl.
Many are found in the débris
attached to the masses of horse-mussels so frequently brought
up from the bottom, others are xed to dead valves of the
larger shells, or have their siphons, foot or other parts, pierced
by the books.
On the zoophytes brought up by the lines, such
naked forms as D0t0, and, on Alcg)0nium, T7*z't09zz'a pZebcia are
found in numbers, while the larger Tritom‘a H0mbergü, “a Sea
lemon,” is occasionalIy pierced by a hook as it drags over the
bottom.
The active cuttle—shes donot seem to be frequently
caught by the books, though, when attacking the shes on the
lines, or interfeng with hait, an arm or other part is now and
then xed.
In contrast with, the trawl, however, few cuttle-'
‘
shesare_ captured by the lines.
'
It is by no means to be supposed from the foregoing remarks
that any blame is to be attached to the liner for interfering
«
With the bottom—fauna.
The notion would be unwarrantabIe.
Inthe course of his operations
the forms indicated have been
M. B.
_
'
4