848 A. JEJ. Verrill — The Bermuda Islands. 



c. — Land Planarians. 

 Figure 237. 

 Mr. T. G. Gosling has sent me a brief description accompanied 

 by a sketch of a peculiar worm that he found near Hamilton. It 

 appears to be a land-planarian. The specimen was, unfortunately, 

 not preserved. It was about six inches long in full extension; slen- 

 der, its breadth about 3 mm ; head flattened and semicircular, carried 



Figure 237. —Land Planarian; dorsal view; x li£; after a sketch by Mr. Gosling. 



somewhat raised while creeping. Body light brown, with three 

 dark longitudinal stripes ; head dark brown. Found July, 1901, at 

 Norwood, in garden. See figure 237. 



41. — Introduction of Marine Species. 



We cannot doubt that many marine invertebrates have been 

 accidentally introduced from North America and the West Indies, 

 if not from Europe, while adhering to the bottoms of vessels, 

 which in these waters soon become covered with firmly attached 

 barnacles, mussels, hydroids, bryozoa, ascidians, etc.,* among which 

 mollusks, crustaceans, annelids, etc., find congenial abodes and 

 abundant food. Sometimes, after only a few months, the accumula- 

 tion of such organisms may amount to many tons on a large vessel. 

 Many of these creatures are discharging eggs or free-swimming 

 embryos which can thus find their way to suitable localities on the 

 shores or bottom. But we have no direct evidence as to which par- 

 ticular species have been introduced here in this way. 



No doubt it would be easy, with suitable appliances and care, to 

 introduce many useful or valuable species of fishes, shellfish, etc.," 

 from the West Indies and the southern United States. A vessel 

 fitted with a live-well might be sufficient. Possibly the more valua- 

 ble Florida sponges could be introduced in this way, and perhaps 

 even the precious Red Coral of the Mediterranean. 



* I was shown a good specimen of coral (Oculina diffusa), eight inches high, 

 that had grown on the bottom of a vessel. 



