47 20 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Habitat. — Blacksod Bay — In weeds from the shore. Dredged on four 

 occasions, in 1-5 fms. Clew Bat — Dredged in 4 fins, in 

 Inishlyre Harbour. Dredged in 9 fms., in Laminaria roots. 

 Trawled in 13-16 fms., in Laminaria roots. Ballynakill 

 Harbour — Dredged on nine occasions, in 2-8 fms. Bofin 

 Harbour — Dredged in 1 fathom. 



Distribution. — British Isles ; France; North Sea?: Mediterranean; Black 

 Sea, 



Sphaerosyllis erinaceus Claparede. 



1886. Sphaerosyllis erinaceus. de Saint-Joseph, p. 207. 



A single pelagic specimen of this species was taken at night in the surface 

 tow-net in Ballynakill Harbour, in July. The genital products had been 

 shed, and it was impossible to ascertain the sex of the specimen. Capillary 

 setae begin ou the Sth setigerous segment, and occur on 11 segments, being 

 absent on the last setigerous segment. A simple dorsal curved seta is present 

 in all the feet. The muscles specially developed for swimming are very large, 

 and composed of extremely fine fibres. The anterior pair of eyes are mere 

 pigment-specks, the middle pair are large, with lenses, whilst the posterior 

 pair are intermediate in size, also with lenses. The palps are much smaller 

 than those of Sphaerosyllis hystrbs. Other characters which distinguish it 

 from the latter species are the slender anal cirri, the absence of the capsule 

 of rhabdites above each foot, the longer terminal pieces of the setae, and the 

 longer proventriculus. There is also a striking difference in the spines which 

 support the feet. In S. hystrix the spine at the tip is curved at right angles 

 to the shaft like a golf-club. In the present species it is blunt or slightly 

 swollen at the tip, but not bent. 



Habitat. — Ballynakill Harbour. Surface tow-net at night. 



Distribution. — Pas de Calais, Dinard, St. Yaast. 



Sphaerosyllis bulbosa sp. n. 

 Pis. I-II, figs. 2a-g. 



Numerous specimens of this species have been taken at various points on 

 the west coast of Ireland. 



The body in preserved specimens is pale brown or creamy white. It is 

 5-6 mm. long, composed of 48 setigerous segments. The body is widest in 

 the anterior third, and tapers gradually towards each end. No papillae are 

 found on the body except on the parapodia and on the anal segment. 



The head (fig. 2a) is oblong, with rounded corners, the width being double 



