ABSTRACT
This very interesting worm was kindly placed in my hands for description by Professor Lankester, who received it last November in quantity from Mr. Thomas Bolton, F.R.M.S., of Birmingham, accompanied by a sketch of the animal in its tube, which I have reproduced in a modified form in fig. 1. Respecting its habitat, I may quote the words of Mr. W. H. Shrubsoil, who writes as follows:—
In the description, I make use of the following nomenclature:—The PROSTOMIUM (Præstomium, Huxley) is the lobe in front of the mouth; it may bear two kinds of appendages, (1) prostomial tentacles (antennes, Milne-Edwards and De Quatrefages; cirri, Kinberg), which spring from its dorsal surface, and generally resemble in character the appendages of the peristomial somite; and (2) palps (palpi, Kinberg; infero-lateral præstomialcirri, Huxley; antennes externes, Milne-Edwards and De Quatrefages), which spring from the lower surface of the prostomium and differ very considerably in character in different families of annelids. The PERISTOMIUM (Peristomium, Huxley; Mund-segment, Grube), which is the first somite of the body, and, it may be, the second and third fused with it ; and although retaining ordinary characters in a few families of annelids, e.g. Syllidæ, very generally becomes much modified. Its appendages are peristomial tentacles (tentacules, De Quatrefages).
Claparède, ‘Glanures Zootomiques parmisles Amiélides de Port Vendras,’ p. 32, pl. 3.
Claparède, loe. cit., p. 36, pl. 3.
Since sending my drawings to the press, I have observed a distinct tendency to a grouping in the arrangement of the cilia ; upon the surface of the branchiæ, groups of cilia springing from a very slightly raised serpentine ridge.
‘Règne An. ill.,’ pl. 1 E, explanation of fig. 2.
De Quatrefages, ‘Hist. Nat. des Ann.,’ tome ii, p. 401.
Zeit. Für wiss. Zoologie,’ Bd. xix, 1869, Taf. xvi.