of the Fishery Board for Scotland, 



295 



but was more frequent in the surface- and bottoin-nets. In confinement 

 many specimens passed through their metamorphosis (Plate VI. figs. 1-8) 

 at the commencement of the month, but the young Phoronis (alter trans- 

 formation) was rare in the nets, being only present on one occasion in the 

 bottom-net. One Actinotrocha, deprived of the larval tentacles and with 

 the adult tentacles as mere buds or papillae, was obtained on the 22d. 

 After transformation they probably lie on the bottom or soon burrow in 

 mud or other medium for protection. 



The bottom-nets, especially, abounded in the larval and post-larval 

 annelids during September, their profusion indeed being remarkable. 

 Most conspicuous in the series were the larval, post-larval, and young 

 forms of Nerine which were seldom absent from the bottom-nets, 

 and often in considerable numbers. These were most active members 

 of the bottom fauna (pelagic), and occurred in various stages, from 

 the shorter rounded forms with the enormous bristles to the more 

 elongated types with a pair of short tentacles. No form is more abundant 

 amongst the sand along the beach than Nerine foliosa, Sars, while other 

 members of the group are also very common, viz,, Scolecolepis vulgaris, 

 Johnst., and Spio seticornis, Fabr. Their numbers will account for the 

 profusion of their larvee which thus thronged the lower regions of the 

 water for a long period. Another very abundant larval and post-larval form 

 was Poly clora ciliata, Johnst., which so frequently perforates the rocks 

 along the beach, and shells — both living and dead — in the deeper parts. 

 Some of the older forms were about 2 '5 mm. in length, and showed the 

 great bristles on each side of the fifth body-segment. 



Amongst other forms noticed were a young Aphrodita 5 mm. long, 

 trochospheres of Polynoc with post-larval and young forms, a young 

 example of Polynoe lowjisetis about 1 mm. long, with bristles and scales, 

 and a young specimen of Pholo'6 minuta with four pairs of legs on each 

 side — furnished with the characteristic bristles. Autolytus proiifer made 

 its first appearance in the tow-nets on the 17th, carrying ova on the 

 ventral surface. A young Nephtkys, with six pairs of feet, a caudal 

 cirrus of two segments articulated like the glandular hair of a plant, and 

 a young Cirratulus about 3 mm. long, larval Terebellse, Ariciidse, various 

 trochospheres of Chcetopods, and a young Turbellarian, of a light greenish 

 colour by transmitted light, also were present. The wealth of annelid- 

 life, indeed, was noteworthy, and many forms not entered here may yet be 

 found on a more prolonged survey of the collections. 



The mid-water net presented a contrast to the foregoing, for larval 

 forms of Nerine were only procured occasionally, and a young example 

 about \ of an inch in length. On the other hand, Tomopteris about 

 J inch long was obtained on several occasions, but sparingly. Sagittae 

 also occurred frequently in this net, but in small numbers, except on the 

 5th : they ranged from 12 to 16 mm. in length. 



Larval annelids were much more frequent in the surface-nets than in 

 the latter, though they fell far short of the bottom-nets in this respect. 

 The majority belonged to the ATmW-gfoup, including Polydora, larval 

 forms of Polynoe only occurring occasionally. Once only did a fragment 

 of Tomopteris appear. A few examples of larval forms of Nerine were 

 obtained in every cast of the net. Some Sagittse about 18 mm. long 

 were present on the 18th. 



The Crustacea in the bottom-nets were apparently as numerous and 

 varied as in August, their profusion being of moment in connection with 

 the abundance of post-larval food-fishes, such as whiting, gurnards, 

 Pleuronectids, and others. Amongst the Copepods were myriads of 

 Halitemora lonyicornis and Acartia longiremis, the females of the latter 



