MUSEUM OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 261 



posed by Grew, Lister, Klein, Browne, and others, anterior to that of Adanson. 

 However, not to go into the briery nomenclature of this group, it is sufficient 

 to say that the first scientifically to name the genus, and a type for it, wa3 

 Lamarck, in 1799. The Vermetus of early authors is generally an absolute 

 synonym of Lamarck's Vermicularia, but more lately the name has been re- 

 tained to contain those Vermettdce which have internal laminae projecting from 

 the sides of their tube. 



The most common species of our coast belongs to the original group, for 

 which it served as a type. 



Vermicularia lumbricalis Linne. 



Serpula lumbricalis Linn., S. N , p. 1266. 



Vermicularia lumbricalis Lamarck, Prodr., p. 78, 1799; Syst., p. 97. 



Vermetus lumbricalis Lamarck, An. s. Vert., VI. Part II. p. 225, 1822. 



Habitat. Station 10, in 37 fins.; off Havana, in 175 fms., Sigsbee; Station 

 127, near Santa Cruz, in 38 fms.; Station 36, in 84 fms., Gulf of Mexico. 

 Northward to New England. 



The turritelliform young of this species are distinguished by their peripheral 

 keel and brown color. The length of the regular part of the coil varies in 

 different individuals. The deep-water specimens are paler and less sculptured 

 than those from shallow water. 



Vermicularia ? nigricans Dall. 



Vermetus lumbricalis var. nigricans Dall, Hemphill's Shells, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus , 



VI. p. 334, 1883. 

 1 Vermetus irregularis var. Tryon, non Orbigny, Moll. Cuba, I. p. 235, pi. xvii. figs. 



16, 18, 1842 ; nee Mbrch, P. Z. S. 1861. 

 ■? Vermetus varians var. Tryon, Man., VIII. p. 170, not of Orbigny. 



Shell, when young, loosely and laxly coiled, except at the extreme tip; lon- 

 gitudinally irregularly ridged, circularly roughened with strong irregular incre- 

 mental lines. The young are often irregularly reticulated from the two series 

 of lines. The older shell is nearly destitute of the longitudinal lines. The 

 aperture is smooth, sharp-edged, and circular. The interior is of a chestnut 

 or blackish brown brilliantly polished. The exterior is rude, contorted, dark 

 or even reddish brown. The animal is of a dark purple brown, almost black, 

 with reddish dots. It is much like that of V. lumbricalis L. in general fea- 

 tures, but smaller in proportion to the smaller size of the shell. The operculum 

 is concave, externally smooth and smooth-edged, translucent, and of numerous 

 turns. Average length of adults, the contortions not included, about 100.0 

 mm.; average diameter of aperture in the adult, 2.0 mm. The operculum is 

 about 1.0 mm. in diameter. 



Habitat. West Florida, 2-14 fms. 



