On the Occurrence of Echinus esculentus on the Foreshore in the British Isles

Abstract

Echinus esculentus, the larger common sea-urchin, occurs in the British Isles between tide-marks on rocky shores at about low-water spring-tide level in the localities given in Table I, page 292. It is, however, absent from apparently suitable foreshores in the Plymouth district, for reasons which are discussed in the present paper. Chadwick (1) states that “In Port Erin Bay it may be collected by hand on the beach, and on the ruined breakwater at low water of spring tides.” Elmhirst (2) records that “In this district (Millport) E. esculentus occurs abundantly between tide-marks in spring and early summer on rocky coasts; a few may be found at almost any other season. About February or early March a shoreward migration seems to set in, so that in suitable weather conditions some hundreds may be collected at springs between April and June. Then their abundance decreases until about November,from when until January it is at a minimum.”