Dr. Baird on new species of Entozoa. 71 



Family GoRDiiDiE. 

 Genus Mermis. 



1. Mermis SPIRALIS. 



Mermis spiralis, Baird, Cat. Entoz. Brit. Mus. 35. t. 1. f. 3. 



About 7 inches in length and \ mill, in breadth ; of a red colour, 

 rigid and twisted into many spiral convolutions. Anterior and poste- 

 rior extremities obtuse. Body of equal size throughout and quite 

 smooth. 



Hab. Abdomen of a species of Grasshopper from Rio Janeiro. 

 Brit. Mus. 



2. Mermis rigidus. 



Mermis rigidus, Baird, Cat. Entoz. Brit. Mus. 3.5. 



Body of a light amber colour, smooth and very shinhig, narrow 

 at upper extremity, very soon becoming thicker and terminating at 

 inferior extremity in an obtusely conical point. The animal is very 

 rigid and stiff throughout its whole length. Length lOj inches, 

 breadth about ^ a line. 



Hab, ? Coll. Brit. Mus. 



Genus Gordius. 

 A. Body smooth. 



1. Gordius platyura. 



Gordius platyura, Baird, Cat. Entoz. Brit. Mus. 3Q. t. l.f. 4. 



Body of a uniform dull white colour, quite smooth, with a depressed 

 line on one side throughout its whole length, obscurely ringed at un- 

 equal distances, narrower at anterior extremity and terminating in 

 a broad flattish tail, which is slightly bifid. Length of animal 32 

 inches, breadth of middle portion of body about \ a line ; tail 1 line 

 broad. 



Hab. Jamaica? From the Collection of Sir Hans Sloane. Brit. 

 Mus. 



B. Epidermis granulated. 



2. Gordius verrucosus. 



Gordius verrucosus, Baird, Cat. Entoz. Brit. Mus. 36. t. 1. f. 5. 



Body black, covered all over with innumerable small, raised warty 

 papillae, round and very stiff like a piece of wire. An impressed line 

 runs on each side through the whole length. Head small. Anterior 

 extremity narrower than posterior . Length 6 inches, breadth about 

 \ a line. 



Hab. S. Africa? (Male.) From the Collection of Dr. A. Smith. 

 Brit. Mus. 



3. Gordius violaceus. 



Gordius violaceus, Baird, Cat. Entoz. Brit. Mus. 36. 



Body of a dark brown colour ; apparently smooth, but under a 

 high magnifying power completely covered with small flattish-look- 

 ing papillae, and ringed transversely with very slightly raised circular 



