4'62 Mr. C. Coilingwood on Nudibranchiate Mullusca. 



the workers in this department are few, and perhaps do not 

 number more than a dozen for the whole district, among whom 

 Messrs. Price and Byerley and Dr. Edwards deserve honourable 

 mention. I think I may say that a more systematic working of 

 the coast is going on now than has been the case for some time 

 past ; and we may hope still to add to the following catalogue 

 of 21 species. Already, in the present spring, two species have 

 been added to the local list, and a third to the Mersey pro})er, 

 notwithstanding that the weather has been most unfavourable 

 for shore operations, the boisterous winds and cold conspiring 

 to drive the animals to lower depths. To the record of each 

 species are appended remarks and notices of peculiarities, 

 whether local or otherwise. 



Doris tuberculata. — This is perhaps one of the most unat- 

 tractive, though nearly the largest of the Nudibranchs, and 

 requires little remark. It is not uncommon upon the Cheshire 

 side of the Mersey; and I have picked it up at Egremont, New 

 Brighton, and Monk^s Ferry from early spring to late autumn. 

 Its usual size is three inches to three inches and a half, and its 

 colour somewhat various, being either of a pure lemon-yellow, a 

 bright orange, or sometimes blotched with green, pink, or brown. 

 It is very sluggish, and seldom lives more than a few days in 

 captivity. 



Doris Johristoni. — This is by no means a common Doris in 

 any locality, and is here a very rare one. In company with Dr. 

 Edwards, we found one at Monk's Ferry on August 12th of last 

 year, the only one, that I am aware of, which has been taken in 

 the Mersey. Our specimen was of a bright yellow colour, and 

 about an inch and a half long. The only other recorded speci- 

 men from this neighbourhood was taken in the Dee estuary, at 

 Hilbre Island. The spicula of this species are very elegant, con- 

 sisting of a broad embossed plate with a double and beautifully 

 serrated edge, terminating abruptly in a blunt apex. 



Doris proximo. — This pretty little Doris is peculiar to the 

 estuary of the Mersey, where it was first discovered by my 

 friend Mr. Price. It is extremely like D. aspera in general 

 aspect, and requires a critical eye to discriminate it at first ; but 

 a little practice makes them readily distinguishable with a lens ; 

 for the tubercles upon the cloak of the latter are more rounded 

 and club-shaped, — of the former rather fusiform, especially 

 towards the sides. But should there be any doubt from an ex- 

 ternal examination, the tongue presents so marked a difi"erencc 

 in the two species that it would at once decide the question ; 

 and even when the animal has been far gone in decay, and the 

 tongue difficult to find, 1 have been satisfied of the species from 

 an examination of the spicula, having never seen in D. proxima 



