358 TRANSACTIONS LIVERPOOL BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Nereis were found in the sample — in fact, I should imagine 

 this type of deposit to be well suited for the support of 

 polychaets. 



XY. [5 and 12] 18/2/13. Morecambe Bay Ship. 



Two samples were obtained from Morecambe Bay Light- 

 ship, but as the position varied slightly I shall describe them 

 separately. No. 5 sample consists of an exceedingly fine 

 quartz sand, throughout which are scattered small particles 

 of very fine shell. The quartz grains in this case seem to be 

 divided into two distinct types — (1) those which are rounded 

 and apparently well water-worn, and (2) those which are 

 angular in shape. 



Many of them are tinged yellowish-red by iron oxide. 

 Magnetite grains are common. On the whole this is a fine 

 clean sand, much of it being excessively fine. The pieces of 

 thin shell found in it seem to belong to the genera Tellina and 

 Solen. Other complete valves discovered in this deposit are 

 Venus, Mactra, and a single example of a large Turritella. 

 A few echinoid spines and annelid setae are also present. 



No. 12, which was obtained in the same locality, shows 

 a gradation from the fine clean sand of No. 5 to a pure mud. 

 In appearance it is bluish-grey, and possesses the distinctive 

 odour already mentioned as being characteristic of the muds 

 near Duddon. On being shaken up with water, however, 

 in a large glass tube, it is seen that a considerable amount of 

 fine quartz sand is present, as it settles down at once while the 

 mud proper takes hours to precipitate, forming a layer above 

 the sand. The sand consists of quartz grains, similar in every 

 way to those of sample 5. The mud is composed of extremely 

 finely-divided particles of quartz, plus a large quantity of 

 minute organic matter giving a distinct reaction with carbol- 

 gentian violet. In it many annelid setae are found, while a 

 few echinoid spines and comminuted pieces of Solen and Tellina 



