The Genus Synchceta. By C. F. Eousselet. 407 



usual four tufts of sense-hairs, but only two of these tufts can be 

 seen from a dorsal view. The crimson eye is in the usual position, 

 and consists of two apposed red bodies. The dorsal antenna pro- 

 trudes from a conical elevation in the usual situation. The lateral 

 antennae are situated at the extreme base of the body, where the 

 foot begins. The mastax is fairly large, of normal structure, and 

 of S. kremula type, with six teeth in the thin, flat, and broad unci, 

 the first tooth being longer than the others. A short, thin-walled 

 oesophagus leads to a thick-walled, rounded, yellow stomach, the 

 anterior part of which is thin-walled, and having large cells in its 

 wall, and densely ciliated inside. The stomach carries ample 

 gastric glands of irregular shape. The lateral canals, contractile 

 vesicle, and muscular system are distinct and normal. The integu- 

 ment is fine and soft, and with a high power numerous very fine 

 longitudinal folds can be observed in it. The ovary is flat and 

 rounded, and contains a number of large nucleated germ-cells. The 

 e<w is large, being estimated at about one-fifth of the total bulk of 



Do O * O 



the animal, and oval in shape ; it is attached to the toe by means 

 of a fine mucous thread, which is sometimes lengthened, and the 

 egg then follows the animal at some distance behind. I have seen 

 two and three eggs attached side by side or one behind the other 

 in a string — a peculiar sight. This habit of carrying its eggs is 

 quite uncommon in Synchsetse, but with this species it appears to 

 be habitual, and dozens of individuals can be seen with eggs in a 

 fresh gathering, while of course there are also always some without 

 them. Mr. F. E. Dixon-Nuttall has made the attractive drawing, 

 fig. 16, and also fig. 16a, which shows a side view of the single toe 

 with a small knob, looking like a rudiment of a second toe. 



On comparing this new species with the described forms it 

 seemed to me that it had some resemblance with the marine 

 Synchaeta Mr. Gosse has figured and described in the Monograph, 

 p. 126, as Ehrenberg's S. tallica, though there are some discrepan- 

 cies in the description, and he does not mention that it carries its 

 eggs. 1 therefore applied to Mr. John Hood and inquired w 7 hat 

 animal it was he sent to Mr. Gosse, from which he made the 

 drawing on pi. xiii. fig. 1, as mentioned in the text, and Mr. Hood 

 informs me that it was this Synchaeta to which I have now given 

 the name of S. cecilia. Mr. Gosse has never seen the real S. tallica 

 of Ehrenberg, which, as far as is known, is confined to the Baltic, 

 and hence his mistake. 



The male. — At the end of October last Mr. Hurrell sent me some 

 sea water in which this species was very abundant, and amongst 

 them I noticed some carrying bundles of two to four small male 

 eggs. By isolating these I soon obtained the male, which is repre- 

 sented in fig. 166. It is a small cylindrical creature 78 /a ( 3 |^ in.) 

 in length, with a foot and toe turned ventral- wards. The front of 

 the head is conical and carries four styles ; the base of the cone 



