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Leay observes, "these are the most 

 perfect in their structure of all 

 Annelida, as they possess numerous 

 organs, and have a distinct head. 

 Some of them, after the manner of 

 Serpulina, inhabit tubes, which 

 tubes are membranaceous, and 

 formed by a transudation from their 

 body; but in general, the Nerei- 

 dina are naked, and they are al- 

 ways agile animals freely moving 

 about in search of prey." 



NEEEI'TES. A genus of Nereidina, 

 which, says Mr. MacLeay, " comes 

 very near to Savigny's genus Ly- 

 coris in its external appearance, 

 only the segments of the body are 

 here perhaps more slender and in 

 proportion longer than usual." 

 Sir E. Murchison has established 

 two species, namely, N. Cam- 

 brensis, and N. Sedgwickii, both 

 discovered in the older rocks of the 

 Silurian system. 



NEEITA'CEA. A family of Tracheli- 

 pods, including the genera Natica, 

 Nerita, Neritina, Navicella, and 

 Janthina. 



NEEITI'NA. A genus of fresh- water 

 univalves, belonging to the family 

 Neritacea. Shell thin, semiglobose, 

 obliquely oval, smooth, flattish in 

 front ; spire short ; aperture semi- 

 circular; outer lip thin; colum- 

 ella lip broad, flat, denticulated. 

 Differs from Nerita in the minute- 

 ness of the denticulation of the 

 columella. 



NEEI'TA. A genus of marine univalves, 

 included in the family Neritacea. 

 The Nerita is a littoral shell, creep- 

 ing on rocks and sea-weeds. A 

 semi-globose univalve, depressed 

 beneath, and having no umbilicus ; 

 aperture entire and semicircular. 

 The aperture is generally large in 

 comparison with the shell, but it is 

 furnished with an operculum which 

 completely closes it. 



NEEINEA, A genus of fossil turricated 

 univalve shells consisting of nu- 

 merous whorls ; the aperture has a 



fold upon the columella, one on the 

 outer lip, and one on the inner lip 

 at the edge of the body whorl. A 

 longitudinal section of one of these 

 shells has a singular appearance 

 produced by the three folds; the 

 oolitic formations contain numerous 

 species. Lycett. 



NEEITO'PSIS. A genus of univalve 

 shells, separated from nerita by 

 the character of the columella lip, 

 which is smooth, flat, with a notch 

 in the centre of its inner edge. 

 The oolitic formations contain 

 several species. 



NEUEO'PTEEA. (from vevpov, a nerve, 

 and Trrepov, a wing, Gr.) Nerve- 

 winged insects. Neuroptera, in 

 Cuvier's arrangement, constitutes 

 the eighth order of Insecta. The 

 Neuroptera have four membranous 

 wings, usually reticulated by nu- 

 merous nervures, but having no 

 sting, or ovipositor. The Neurop- 

 tera are mostly bold, rapacious, and 

 sanguinary ; perpetually chasing 

 and devouring other insects. The 

 libellula, or dragon-fly, is a familiar 

 example. 



NETJEO'PTEEIS. A genus of fossil ter- 

 restrial plants found in the coal 

 measures. 



EED SANDSTONE. (Called also 

 Eed Marl, Eed Eock, and Eed 

 Ground. The Gres Bigarres of the 

 French, and Bunter Sandstein of 

 the Germans.) A member of the 

 red sandstone group, lying between 

 the variegated marls and muschel- 

 kalk, and above the magnesian 

 limestone, or zechstein : sometimes 

 called variegated sandstone. The 

 marl and sandstone are often red, 

 but vary in their hue from chocolate 

 to salmon colour; they are not 

 unfrequently variegated, exhibiting 

 streaks of light blue or verdigris, 

 buff, or cream colour ; this forms so 

 prominent a character, that "Werner 

 denominated the formation "bunter 

 sandstein," variegated sandstone. 

 It is principally silicious and argil- 



