found on the South Coast of Devonshire. Ill 



pearing like slender red worms contorting in all directions round 

 the animal; after death these usually curl up, when they first 

 become orange, and In a little time wholly lose their colour. 



This curious species of vermes was taken from a piece of 

 timber that had been perforated by pholadcs, and was destitute 

 of any natural covering. 



It is extremely difficult, in the present state of our imperfect 

 knowledge of the marine Mollusca, to class many of them by 

 the characters prescribed by even the more modern authors. 

 That the difference in opinion as to the arrangement of such 

 amorphose animals whose connecting links are so extremely si- 

 milar, and appearance so variable, will scarcely ever admit of 

 their being brought within the reasonable bounds of generic 

 distinction, must be obvious to those who have attended more 

 closely to the subject of helminthology : the best authors seem 

 to confirm this opinion by their discordant arrangement. 



It may be doubted whether the animal in question be nearest 

 allied to the Terebella or Nereis, or even whether it strictly be- 

 long to either. 



Nereis pinnigera. 

 Tab. VI. Fig. 3. 



Body long and slender, with numerous opaque white joints 

 transversely marked with yellow, and furnished at the sides with 

 long flat appendages that flow over the back : tentacula scarcely 

 distinguishable, unless the longer appendages in front be such : 

 eyes four, chocolate colour: the posterior end suddenly de- 

 creases, and becomes very small, as if that part had been new- 

 ly formed ; a circumstance of no unreasonable conjecture, as it 

 is well known that many of the Mollusca tribe «re capable of 

 reproduction. 



Length an inch and a half. 



IIOLOTIiURlA 



