294 '-^^^^ Irish Naturalist, [Nov., 



THE TUBE-FORMING WORMS. 



BY TIIK REV. HII^DKRIC FRIEND. 



Towards the end of September last, I received from Mr. 

 Robert J. Kir^van, Gardenfield, Tn am, County Gal way, a splendid 

 consignment of annelids in a living condition. They were 

 accompanied by the following note. " Mud containing small 

 red worms from a pond at Gardenfield. The worms occurred 

 in such numbers as to give the water the appearance of blood. 

 The3% however, disappeared like magic when I approached 

 them closely. They protruded part of their bodies from the 

 mud, and kept them in continual motion. I send these in 

 response to your appeal in The Irish Naturalists This interest- 

 ing communication supplies me with a text for some notes 

 on the tube-worms in general, with special reference to the 

 Irish species. This group of annelids has been the subject of 

 remark from very early times. The old writers on natural 

 history were familiar with them under such titles as blood- 

 worms or summer-worms, but they often confounded them 

 with the larvae which abound in similar situations in summer, 

 and are of a bright blood-red colour. The}^ were long ago 

 regarded by the common folk as portents of dire calamity ; 

 were observed to be ver}^ gregarious ; and had even been 

 observed constructing and inhabiting tubes. This latter fact 

 is of value. We know that Serpula and other marine creatures, 

 including Norihia and various tubicolous worms, form abodes 

 either of a calcareous or arenaceous nature, in which their 

 bodies are partially or wholly, temporarily or constantl}^ to be 

 found. There is room for research here, especially among 

 the freshwater annelids ; for we at present know little of the 

 processes involved in tube-forming, or the extent to which it 

 is practised. The tubes are usually of so fragile a nature that 

 they collapse with the slightest touch, and in many waj^s the 

 conditions for their study are inimical to the investigator. 



It does not follow that all the genera now classed as tube- 

 formers live in tubes. So far as I can gather, Midler {^Zool. 

 Dan. Prod. 2605), was the first to employ the term t^ibifcx, 

 and with him it is specific. All worms in olden times were 



