118 EEPOKT ON ANNELIDS DREDGED OFF 



II. — Report on a Collection of Annelids dredged off Northumberland 

 and Durham. By W. C. McIntosh, M.D., F.L.S.* 



Sponges, zoophytes, molluscs and crustaceans may be preserved 

 by drying, and the majority of the species successfully identified 

 thereafter without much trouble, but the study of the annelids 

 can only be carried out by their preservation in spirit, which 

 ought to be of the strongest and purest description ; and the 

 specimens require frequent changing, especially if large. Above 

 all, only one or two should be put into each bottle of spirit on 

 the collecting-ground. Nothing is more common than to find, 

 for example, Terebella, which have been grouped in a bottle, 

 converted into a brownish pulp, in which even the individuals 

 are scarcely distinguishable. No doubt with care such may be 

 identified by the aid of the curious chitinous hooks and bristles, 

 but the condition of the specimens for all other purposes is 

 most unsatisfactory. 



For an opportunity of examining the present collection I am 

 indebted to Mr. G. S. Brady, the President, who kindly offered 

 me the use of the specimens some time ago. 



The Turbellarians are represented by a few Planarise, amongst 

 which the widely distributed Eurylepta vittata of Montagu is 

 conspicuous. It is very abundant on our southern coasts and 

 the Channel Islands, between tide-marks. Two swimming Ne- 

 merteans, the Planaria angulata of 0. F. M tiller, and the Om- 

 matoplea pulchra of Dr. Johnston, occur in the deep water off 

 Tynemouth ; and the beautifully banded Meckelia annulata of 

 Montagu was procured in the Whitburn boats. This species is 

 found amongst the tidal rocks as well as in deep water, and in 

 this case the ventral white longitudinal line was present. 



The only representative of the marine leeches is Pontobdella 

 muricata, from Berwick Bay. 



It would appear, from the following list of the Annelida, that 

 the specimens had chiefly been procured by dredging, and there- 

 fore many of the common littoral forms are wanting. I do not 



* This collection consisted chiefly of specimens obtained during - the several dredging ex- 

 peditions conducted under the direction of the Tyneside Naturalists' Field Club. 



