AMnilTHOE RUBRICATA. 



421 



In some specimens recently sent to us from Banff' we 

 found these nests to consist chiefly of this exquisitely 

 fine thread, built and twisted in with very little foreign 

 material such as straw and weed. One spot in the nest, 

 which from its thinness and position off'ered a favourable 

 place for examination without being ruptured, was 

 observed under the microscope to be arranged in a loose 

 kind of network as fairly represented in our vignette. 



The type was taken by Col. Montagu on the south 

 coast of Devonshire, probably at Salcombe. Some speci- 

 mens were dredged by us in Plymouth Sound, upon 

 stony ground between the eastern end of the break- 

 water and Bovisand, of a most brilliant colour. Mr. 

 Harris, of Sidmouth, sent us a few specimens from 

 Penzance procured on the shore at low spring tide. The 

 Rev. A. M. Norman and Mr. Jeff'reys have taken it in 

 from two to five fathoms in Outer Skerries Harbour, also 

 in four fathoms one mile north of Whalsey Lighthouse, 

 Shetland ; Mr. Norman has also sent it to us from 

 Cullercoats. It is also recorded from Strangford Loch 

 by Thompson and Hyndman in the " Annals of Natural 

 History "for 1847. 



A poiiion of tlic Nest of Amphithoe ruhricata, as seen imder Uie 

 microscope, with an ol>ject glass of ^ of an inch. 



