L,umb?lcus linedtus. 259 



small, forming a sort of snout, beneath which is the mouth, 

 furnished with a very short wide edentulous proboscis ; anal 

 segment small, emarginate ; the anus opening in the sinus. 



This species burrows in mud, under stones, and at the roots 

 of Fuci, between tide marks, and is not uncommon. It is very 

 contractile, and frequently collects a portion of the body into 

 partial knots or swellings, and will again extend itself to a 

 great length, until it becomes as slender as a sewing thread. 

 Its red colour is very generally diffused, and to the naked eye 

 no vessels are visible ; but when placed under the magnifier 

 and carefully observed, the blood may be seen propelled to 

 and fro through vessels, one of which runs along each side of 

 the intestine. The blood is grumous, and nothing can be 

 more irregular than its course, now driven in one direction, 

 then in the opposite, and then again settling at rest ; for its 

 motion seems to be dependent on the motions of the body and 

 the extension of the rings. The intestine is, as usual, large, 

 and deeply constricted at every joint ; it is usually filled with 

 earthy matter, and, when this is pressed out, it still appears 

 dusky and somewhat reticulated in a very minute manner. I 

 have never seen any specimens with a belt, such as we see in 

 the common earthworm. The number of tufts of bristles is 

 hard to be correctly ascertained ; but there appear to be four 

 on each segment, and towards the middle and posterior part 

 of the body they issue from a very evident cordate or roundish 

 tubercle, which is not obvious on the anterior segments. 



36. Lumbri'cus linea'tus. {fig. 24.) 



/vumbrlcus lineatus : a, worm of the natural size ; b, the anterior portion, magnified ; c, a view 

 of the ventral surface of the 9th ring, to show the mammiform processes ; d, the anal seg- 

 ments j e, the bristles, magnified. 



Synonymes. — L. lineatus Muller, Verm. i. part ii. p. 29. ; Fabr., Faun. 

 Groenl. 278. ; TurL, Gmel. iv. 59. ; Johnston, in Zool. Journ. iii. 329. j 

 Mull., Prod. Zool. Dan. 215. no. 2606. 



Description, — Body l£in. long, or, when extended, nearly 

 3 in. ; slender, smooth, slightly attenuated towards each ex- 



