30 LIVERPOOL MARINE BIOLOGY COMMITTEE REPORT. 



writer was gratified in finding some short extracts from the 



above-named paper. 



" In many patches, nearer to high water mark, on the shore, may- 

 be observed millions of worm casts. These are produced by the lob or 

 lug-worm. A few inches from the cast may invariably be seen a round 

 hole, through which the animal came and fed while the tide covered the 

 surface ; and the cast is deposited after the nutritious portions have 

 been extracted. These creatures are very much sought for by fisher- 

 men, and when first taken, they display the prismatic colours very 

 beautifully by their movements. The rings of the head of this animal 

 are very peculiarly constructed, forming a regular cone, which it has 

 the power of drawing in and extending as circumstances require. In 

 these localities the ripple marks, formed by the recent action of the 

 water, present very beautiful appearances, and the shade produced by 

 the varying altitude of the sun cannot but attract the attention of the 

 observer. They partake of great similarity in shape and character." 



On February 3rd, 1886, the writer received a note from 

 Mr. R. A. Tudor, who speaks of having collected on the 

 shores of the Mersey, with Mr. Johnson, Curator of the 

 Royal Institution ; and in the Isle of Man, with Professor 

 Edward Forbes. Mr. Tudor has now entered his 89th year. 



The following table is a Report* drawn up by Mr. Byerley 

 and Dr. Collingwood, in behalf of a Dredging Committee of 

 the Estuary of the Mersey, appointed by the British Associa- 

 tion, at the Oxford Meeting, 1860. 



NAMES OF COMMITTEE. 



Dr. J. GwYN Jeffreys. Isaac Byerley. 



Dr. C. Collingwood. Dr. J. B. Edwards. 



Rev. H. H. Higgins. Thos. J. Moohe. 



The writer's desire to collect together as many as possible 

 of his old Natural History friends, some of them very old 

 friends, yet all, with two exceptions, still living, arose from 

 his recognising the issue of the present volume as epoch- 

 making in the study of the Fauna of the Liverpool Bay. 

 ' From Brit. Assoc. Report for 1861. 



