220 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 
The specimens examined were procured at Millport by dredging 
’ in water of 15 to 20 fathoms at the “Tan Buoy.” Great quantities 
of them can be got by means of the “scoop” dredge, but the most 
satisfactory “nests” are got by bringing up weed with the grapnel ; 
at the roots of these a Lima nest and its occupant are generally 
found. The material brought up by the dredge is a mass of nulli- 
pores (Melobesia), in which the nests or little burrows of the Limas 
may be seen. The mass is bound together by these, and if the 
whole be put in water and broken up, the animals may be observed 
flopping off in a jerky manner, a habit admirably adapted to escape 
seizure by any too confident fish, so sudden and unexpected is each 
contraction by which the animal darts away. Any desired number 
of the animals may be got, especially if some one from the “ Marine 
Station” is present who knows the ground and the method of 
proceeding; and he must needs be a discontented dredger who is 
not satisfied with the quantity brought home for examination, 
The animals may be placed in aquaria along with the nests or 
without them, when their peculiar mode of progression may be 
easily studied. If supplied with material they begin the recon- 
struction of a nest. This material need not necessarily be the 
nullipores to which they are accustomed, but any material will do. 
Mrs. Robertson has even induced.one to construct a beautiful 
nest of glass beads. At Rothesay they build their nests of gravel, 
and occasionally in the hauls at the ‘Tan Buoy” a nest was found 
with its occupant securely lodged in the folded frond of a sea-weed. 
There are two organs oi chief importance in Lima, and they play 
the chief part in the peculiar mode of life of the animal. These 
are the foot and the mantle, with which therefore we begin our 
examination of the animal. 
The foot is specialized into a long muscular organ which can be 
used with great dexterity. It serves the purpose of an anchor, a 
locomotory organ, and a spinning apparatus. The animal may 
sometimes be seen securely attached to the bottom or even the 
sides of the aquarium by this organ, and floating buoyantly in the 
water like a ship at anchor. Again it may be seen to attach the 
foot at some distance and drag the body along. It has even been 
observed (Robertson) to ascend the sides of the glass vessel by aid 
of this organ. The foot must be used in this way to some con- 
siderable extent; its other means of locomotion, as we shall see, 
are only capable of propelling the animal in one direction, and 
