260 THE AQUARIAN NATURALIST. 



therefore look at what Mr. Sowerby gives, on the au- 

 thority of the fishermen at Newhaven, to be by no 

 means improbable, viz. that this most astonishing 

 creature may have been susceptible of being drawn 

 out to the length of twelve fathoms ; or, according to 

 the account of the fishermen on the south coast of 

 Devonshire, to Mr. Montagu, to thirty yards, or 

 fifteen fathoms. Indeed, Mr. Montagu's own account 

 of one of the length of eight feet when alive, being re- 

 duced to one foot when immersed in spirits, does more 

 than support my opinion. 



This and another specimen were found near Beau- 

 maris at the time of spring-tide in the month of 

 March. 



The Nemertes is extremely liable to be broken, and 

 its fragments retain their vitality for many months 

 after their separation from the rest of the animal. 



Sir John Dalyell was for a long time perplexed re- 

 garding the food of this remarkable worm. A crea- 

 ture so unwieldy and unmanageable in itself, appeared 

 to be very ill-adapted for overcoming resisting prey : 

 he ascertained, however, that in its natural state it 

 invades the tubes of the Amphitrite in order to devour 

 the tenant ; and in one instance it seized and immo- 

 lated a Terebella, which had lost its protective dwell- 

 ing, and this too in spite of the size and apparently 

 superior strength of the victim. 



This animal frequently wraps itself up in an intri- 

 cate knot, whence the derivation of the name ' Gor- 

 dius/ applied to it by some authors; and perhaps 

 food may become occasionally entangled among the 

 voluminous folds of its body. It is certainly greedy 



