The shake-out of internet companies continued yesterday when four of the dot.com boom's best known brands sought mergers to improve their chances of long-term survival.

Media group Chrysalis and 365 Corporation - which produces sport- and music-related content - confirmed that they would pool their sports website assets, while natural health products retailer Thinknatural.com and gardening site Greenfingers.com also announced a merger.

Merrill Lynch predicts that fewer than one in four internet companies will survive as independents. Last week Chrysalis said it would write off the value of all of its internet assets.

Chrysalis and 365 will each have a 40% stake in the new business, with management holding the remaining 20%.

Thinknatural and Greenfingers believe they can save money by sharing a common technology platform and management team. They were bought together by mutual shareholder Amadeus Capital.