338 Mary R. Cravens and Harold Heath, 



may be placed on such characters for, owing to the different degree 

 of muscuhir contraction, the variations in our specimens are fullj' as 

 great as those separating N. mirabilis and N. grimaldti. In regard 

 to the more highlj^ branched condition of the intestine in the last 

 named species, this may be a specific difference but only a careful 

 examination of the types will settle the matter. 



On three occasions nemerteans, to which Ave give the name 

 Nccfonemertes peJagica, have been found entangled in the lines used 

 by the Chinese fishermen in rock-cod fishing in Monterey Bay, 

 California; but except in one instance the specimens had shrivelled 

 to such an extent that practically no distinctive characters were 

 visible save their cirri. The exception is a beautiful specimen 

 which was taken in Nov. 1903 by Tack Lee while fishing about 

 ten miles from shore along the line of the submerged valley where 

 the water was said to be "very deep". ^) The animal was dead but 

 owing to the cold foggy day was unmacerated and retained its 

 brilliant scarlet tint. Verrill considered that N. mirabilis is in life 

 probably transparent or at all events translucent since some of 

 his specimens "even in alcohol show considerable translucency, — 

 nearly as much as the lai'ger species of Sagifta". In the present 

 €ase the body is sufficiently translucent to allow some of the larger 

 and more epaque organs to show through, the reproductive organs 

 and the alimentary canal being especially noticeable. 



Through the courtesy of Dr. W. E. Ritter two additional 

 specimens have come into our possession which were taken by the 

 Str. Albatross off the southern coast of California (Sta. 4393). The 

 original color is given as flame scarlet but this was destroyed as 

 picro-corrosive was used as a fixing agent. 



The depth (2113 — 2259 fath.) at which these latter specimens 

 were taken is unquestionably very much greater than that in which 

 the first individuals were probably captured, and this inclines one 

 to the belief that this genus may be free swimming. Yeerill has 

 ■called attention to the fish-like tail possessed by these creatures 

 and to the thin marginal fin-like membrane along the sides of the 

 body, characters which suggest active, swimming movements. The 

 fact that one specimen was known to have been entangled in the 

 trawl wings and that the others had escaped mutilation, such as 



1) Coast Survey charts show a depth, for this general locality, of 

 400—550 fath. 



