NEMERTINES OF PLYMOUTH SOUND. 25 
quite typical in this respect. According to Chapuis this is a vivi- 
parous species. Dalyell, however, states that his specimens laid vast 
quantities of eggs in June. Unfortunately I have been unable to 
make any observations on this point, 
B. MICRURAA, Birger. 
A caudal appendage present. 
Genus MIORURA, Ehrenberg, Birger. 
Includes small forms with tapering head not marked off from 
body. Progression by crawling, not swimming. Usually knotted in 
heaps or strongly contracted. Provided with a caudal appendage. 
27. M. purrorgea (Dalyell), J. Miller. 
CEREBRATULUS PURPUREUS, Hubrecht. 
A common species, dredged in 5 to 20 fathoms. The Duke Rock 
appears a specially favorable locality. All specimens so far met 
with are rather small, the largest not exceeding 5cm. I have never 
found a specimen with eyes, but Joubin says that a large specimen 
which he obtained had a dozen extremely small eyes, which were 
situated on the yellow band across the snout. The ground colour is 
very variable, all shades of red and brown being represented as well 
as purple. A single light green specimen was. dredged outside the 
Breakwater on November 7th. I have not as yet met with any 
ripe specimens, but Joubin records the capture of one containing 
eggs in June, and McIntosh in April. The voracity of this 
species 1s mentioned by McIntosh ; I met with a striking instance of 
it in May last. A specimen of about 3 or 4 cm. was placed in a 
dish with a Nemertes Neesw of quite 20 cm. length. Some little time 
after I was astonished to find the Micrura busily engaged in swallowing 
the Nemertes. The posterior one fifth of the latter had already dis- 
appeared into the mouth of the former when I noticed them, and 
still the assailant was struggling to gulp down more of its prey. In 
the meantime the victim glided round the dish, apparently not 
suffering the smallest inconvenience from the attack upon its posterior 
extremity. Ultimately both attacker and attacked became quiescent, 
the former having become more than twice its previous girth. The 
portion of the Nemertes in the gut of the Micrura still remained in 
continuity with the rest of the body, though apparently undergoing 
digestion. 
