REPORT ON THE GEPHYREA. 7 



two hundred luindw repeatedly anastomosing. The alimentary eanal r-onsists of n pharvTix, 

 a narrow muscular oesophagus, an intestine with three main loops, wliicli after forming a 

 small cfecum is continued into a wide rectum terminating in the cloaca. Ivich loop 

 of the intestine is attached to the body-wall by special muscles, which frequently broaden 

 out into a fan-shape as they approach the intestine. The strands attaching the rectum 

 (" Befestiger") are especially numerous (sixty to seventy). As regards the vascular 

 system, two vessels admit of ready recognition, one dorsal accompanying the alimentary 

 canal, and one ventral Ipng above the nerve-cord. Like v. Drasche I was unable to 

 discover any trace of a vascular ring. Both pairs of segmental organs have associated 

 with them near their external opening two spirally coiled appendages like those wliicli 

 occur in most species of Tlialassema, where Greeff has described them under the 

 designation " .spiral tubes." They are also described and figured by v. Drasche. The 

 anal vesicles are in structure like those of Echinrus pallasii. 



Some of the specimens were so well preserved that a detailed representation of the 

 ciliated funnels was in some cases possible (PL III. figs. 11, 12). 



Habitat. — Inland Sea, Japan. From fishermen, May 28, 1875. 



Von Drasche notes that in both the specimens which he examined the proboscifs 

 (Kopflappen) was wanting. Careful investigation, however, has convinced me that the 

 short process at the anterior end of the body really represents the whole proboscis. It is 

 quite likely then that even in von Drasche's specimens the proboscis was present and 

 complete. 



This species was first mentioned by Willemoes-Suhm * in the following terms : — 

 "A new Echiurid from the Japanese coast, used by the fishermen as bait, and occurring 

 in the mud close by the shore. The worm measured 3 to 4 inches in length, and in 

 all its characters resembled the genus Echinrus except in having a single posterior circle 

 of setae instead of two." 



Genus 3. Tlialassema, Gacrtner. 



Body swollen with a short undivided proboscis. Two internal anal vesicles, usually 

 with ciliated funnels. Only two anterior ventral hooked seta?. There are one to six 

 pairs of (anterior) segmental organs. 



3. Thalassemafaex, n. sp. (PI. III. fig. 13). 



The longitudinal musculature is undivided. There is only a single pair of segmental 

 organs. The proboscis is small. The thin skin of the preserved specimen is whitish and 

 smooth, the papillae are indistinct and scattered. The intestine exhibits the usual charac- 



' Brief VII. an C. Th. von SieboKl, Zeitschr. f. niss. Zooh, Bd. xxvii. p. cii., 1876. 



