PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 35 



west coast, to the confined examination of the dredger, whose labours have 

 principally been engaged in the exploration of the bays and estuaries, and not 

 to any depth of soundings off the coast. Instances are recorded of many rare 

 molluscs captured on the lines of the fishermen on the great bank of Newfound- 

 land, and also on the inner banks, as well as frequently taken from the stomachs of 

 the cod fish. I have taken fine specimens of Fusus islandicus on the lines in 81 

 fathoms ; and Dr. Farran informs me that Buccinum Zetlandicum has only been 

 taken on the fishermen's lines at a distance from the land sinking Urisbeg mountain. 

 Animals enjoying life at great depths of the ocean are more extensively distributed 

 in different latitudes from the uniformity of temperature ; while warm or cold cli- 

 mates affect those animals that are peculiar to shoaler grounds. The western shores 

 of Spain and Portugal abound in marine animals, and it has been remarked that 

 the eastern shores of the American continent are barren in proportion to its western 

 coasts, which are plentifully inhabited by testaceous animals. The west of Eng- 

 land affords nearly two-thirds of all the marine animals yet discovered in Britain ; 

 and we may, therefore, conclude, that the rich shores of the west of Ireland may yet 

 add largely to its fauna. Among recent labourers you witness this evening what 

 has been accomplished by Dr. Farran, and I may add, that from this coast much is 

 to be expected from the well-directed researches of Professor Melville, of Galway. 

 In one of the experimental trials in which I was engaged, in connection with the 

 fisheries, we had run out soundings nearly ten miles to the north-west of the Toraght 

 Bock, one of the Blasket group, where we found bottoms of fine gravel and shells 

 from fifty to eighty fathoms, and which we found, on trial, to be valuable fishing 

 grounds. The soundings were taken up in a small dredge, to which a heavy iron 

 bar had been attached. I shall pass, for the present, the several objects of interest 

 captured, and submit to you the subject of the present paper. It belongs to that 

 class of articulated animals, the Annelides. The Annelides and Nereids constitute 

 a tribe of exceedingly interesting animals, apparently insignificant in their habits, 

 yet beautiful in structure, and rich in brilliant tints. These invertebrate creatures 

 form a peculiar class in the eyes of naturalists, verging on the confines of the sub- 

 kingdom, yet exhibiting modifications of other higher groups. Their annulose 

 character and nervous system range them in an intermediate link between the ver- 

 tebrata and annulosa. They possess a vascular apparatus for circulation, with 

 generally a long, slender body, soft, and divided by circular folds into a great num- 

 ber of rings. On each side of the body are a long series of fasciculi of bristles, sup- 

 ported on fleshy tubercles, which act as feet. The characters, however, vary in 

 many species. In some the head is distinct, in others it is wanting ; and the head is 

 frequently ornamented with fascicles or plumes of cirri, acting as antennae. These 

 animals are distributed (the greater number marine) from the shoalest to the 

 deepest water. Some, for protection, form a calcareous tube, almost like the shells 

 of molluscs ; others form a coating by agglutinating grains of sand or shells, and, 

 likewise, some are in tubes, which are entirely membraneous or horny. Of this last 

 number is the species that I shall bring before your notice, as being an addition to 

 the fauna of Ireland. It belongs to the genus Eunice, Cwv., characterized by 

 having plumose branchiae, proboscis, armed with horny jaws, each foot armed with 

 two cirri, and a bundle of setae, five tentacula surrounding the mouth and nape. 

 The animal in the living state was almost colourless, inhabiting a horny tube, 

 beautifully transparent, and of from 2^- to 3 inches in length ; the head of the 

 animal plumose, the plumes of a delicate pink or violet tinge. I obtained three 

 specimens from a depth of 81 fathoms, in soundings of fine gravel. It appears to 

 be identical with the Nereis tubicola of Miiller, which inhabits a horny tube, and is 

 figured and described in the " Zoologica Danica." I may mention that I have also 

 obtained on the same coast, in shoal soundings of soft sand, Pectinaria Belgica, the 

 animal enclosed in a fragile tube of agglutinated grains of sand, the head of the 

 animal ornamented with golden plumes. It is beautifully figured in Donovan, as 

 the Sabella tubiformis. 



Doctor Carte observed, that from the extreme interest of the proceedings of this 

 evening, it must be seen that our knowledge of the extent of the marine zoology of 

 the western coast was as yet but very imperfect. He much wished that a dredging 

 association could be formed, whose labours would be directed to more extensive 



