EUNICE GIGANTEA. 311 



A broken specimen of one of these worms now 

 before us, the Eunice gigantea, measures upwards of 

 four feet in length, and consists of four hundred and 

 forty-eight segments, all provided with their comple- 

 ment of paddles. Let the reader, therefore, imagine 

 for one moment this gorgeous animal free in its 

 native seas, blazing with iridescent tints that answer 

 back again the glowing brilliancy of a tropical sun, 

 while it rows along its " oary state ' by means of 

 upwards of seventeen hundred distinct propelling 

 laminae, all wielded with such energy that the eye 

 can scarcely follow the rapidity of their movements, 

 and then perhaps he will be able to form some idea of 

 the efficiency of a locomotive apparatus such as is 

 provided for these dorsibranchiate Annelidans. The 

 fabled Ore of Ariosto, moved along 



"By thousands of strange wheels and thousand slides *," 



is here outdone, and poetry lacks terms to give 

 expression to a scene so wonderful : 



" .... in such sort, 



As, sped by roaring winds, long carack steers 

 From north or south, towards her destined port, 

 So the sea-monster to his food repairs f." 



It is an interesting spectacle to observe one of 

 these creatures moving about in its tank, as though 

 indignant at captivity. Its many rings alternately 

 contract, and again extend themselves into a spiral, 



* " Con mille guizzi e niille strane ruote." 

 f- " Come sospinto suol da Borea o d' Ostro 

 Venir lungo navilio a pigliar porto 

 Cosi ne viene al cibo che F e mostro 

 La bestia orrenda." 



