59 

 INTRODUCTION. 



In this as in the previous part attention may again he drawn 

 to the comparatively large number of European forms in South 

 African waters, and to the very wide distribution of others 

 which occur there. Thus the purple Polynoid, Polynoe (Macel- 

 liccphala) inirabilis, ranges from the north-west of the North 

 Island of New Zealand to the Cape on the one hand, and to the 

 Kara Sea (Levinsen) on the other; whilst Polyeunoa Icevis 

 stretches from the Strait of Magellan to Prince Edward's Island 

 and is now brought within 25 miles of the Cape. Indeed 

 almost everyone of the species in this section is remarkable for 

 its cosmopolitan tendencies, and, as critical examinations extend 

 in future, it is probable that one or two still doubtful may be 

 included in the same category. The range of such forms as 

 Chaioptcnis variopcdatiis, Cimifiiliis cirnifiis and feiifacnlatus, 

 DasvbraiicJiiis caduciis, Nicouiachc Imuhricalis, Potamillu reiii- 

 fonnis, Bispira 7'oliitaconiis and even the crustacean parasites of 

 Annelids is remarkable, and show how much has yet to be done 

 in the distribution of marine animals, and moreover illustrates 

 the bold contrast they present to the distribution of land 

 animals. 



Fam. POLYNOID^. 

 Polynoe (Macellicephala) AIirabilis, Mcintosh, 1885. 



1885. Polynoe {Macelliccphahi) niiiahilis, Mcintosh, Ann. 

 "Challenger" p. 121, PI. xvi. fig. 1, PI. xii. figs. 9-1 1. 



1886. OligoUpis violacea, Levinsen, Kara-Havets, Ledorme, 

 p. 4, PI. XXV. figs. 1-4. 



This purple polynoid was procured in the trawl at 470 fathoms, 

 25 miles off Cape Point Lighthouse, bottom, green sand and 

 hard ground. The specimens had been put in formalin and 

 their colour was fairly preserved. The rich purple or deep mauve 

 tinted the whole of the dorsum where it was most intense, the 

 proboscis and the feet, the tips of which were less deep in 

 colour. The ventral surface was also somewhat pale — marked 

 along the ventral line by the nerve-cords ; and a pale line 

 passed from each segmental papilla to the middle line — nearly 

 transversely in front, but obliquely forward and inward behind. 



This form, a single example of which was first dredged 

 during the cruise of H.M. Ship "Challenger" at Station 169 

 (off the north-west corner of the North Island of New Zealand; 

 in 700 fathoms, is evidently an inhabitant of deep water. The 

 South African examples, from their mode of preservation are 



B 2 



