172 ITS FANS. 



of its tip, and rears the remainder of its tube in 

 pillar-like erectness to the height of half a foot or 

 more ; * — but of that most abundant one, which every 

 haul of the dredge raises, on old shells, broken pot- 

 tery, fragments of bottles, &c. grouped in intricately 

 contorted and intertwisted masses, which adhere for 

 the greater part of their length, and are free only at 

 or near the anterior extremity. 



The tubes of fine specimens are about one-fourth 

 of an inch in diameter, cylindrical, with the mouth 

 slightly expanded. The successive stages of growth 

 may be traced by these expansions, for the addition 

 is evidently made, not from the expanded edge, but 

 from a little way within, so that the general diameter 

 of the tube is preserved, while these trumpet-lips 

 project at irregular distances, in a foliated manner, like 

 the bases of sheathing-leaves. You would probably 

 look with little interest on these clumps of dirty- white, 

 rough tubes, on seeing them come up in the dredge, 

 but in an Aquarium few objects are more attractive. 

 As soon as the tenants of these pipes begin to feel 

 themselves at home, they cautiously protrude. The 

 first thing you see is what looks like a scarlet cork 

 fitted into the mouth of the tube, as if into the neck 

 of a bottle ; by gradual steps, this is pushed a little, 

 and a little, farther out, until at length a brilliant 

 array of fans of the same gorgeous hue protrudes, and 

 expands into a sort of oval funnel, defective at one 

 side, and with the opposite margin bent inward in a 

 sinuous form. 



* An error in nomenclature. Tubidarla is a true Sahella, not a 

 Serpula. {Second Edition.) 



