144 TEANSACTIOXS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



are characteristic of deep water, many of them ranging to 

 very great depths. Even in our own seas they frequent 

 the deeper waters of the coralhne ground." None of the 

 ''Challenger" series came from a less depth than 100 

 fathoms, and only one at that. Two came from 2225 

 fathoms. 



Sub-Family. — Lumbriconerein^e. 



Lumhriconereis fragilis, 0. F. Miiller. 



Hab : 12—13 ; from 20—22 fms. 



True to name this beautiful iridescent annelid broke 

 into pieces immediately on capture on the only two 

 occasions on which I was fortunate enough to procure it. 

 There is no doubt in my mind that this is a habit acquired 

 and practised with the aim to save its existence when 

 seized by enemies, as I noticed that the pieces broken 

 off were in both cases short lengths from the posterior 

 end. The piece left with the head was by far the longest 

 and probably sufficient to start life afresh with had the 

 animal escaped capture. 



Family. — NereiUtE . 



Nereis pelagica, L. 



Hab : 13, H, P, M, Mp. 



Met with at all depths and on rocky or stony ground, 

 with as high a vertical range as Arenicola displays on a 

 sandy or muddy shore. 



*Nerels (Hediste) diver sicolor, Miiller. 



Hab : S, 2. 



A large nnmber were found burrowing in the peat at 

 Hightown at the mouth of the Mersey. 



Nereis (Leontis) dicmerilii, Aud. and M. Edw. 



Hab: E, P, M, 6, 7, 8 (numerous). 



Specimens of this worm are frequently obtained lying 

 in cocoon-like structures composed of hardened grey 

 mucus, often with foreign bodies attached to the outside. 



