BY N. A. COBB. 155 



This species is common in the Bay of Naples, living in sand in 

 situations occupied by Amphioxus lanceolatus. The absence of 

 lar^e marine alsre in its habitat leads me to surmise that it is a 

 carnivorous species. 



III. 



The New Genus Dipeltis. 



Nearly thirty years ago Eberth described in his " Untersuchungen 

 liber Nematoden," under the name of Enoplus cirrhatus, a peculiar 

 marine Nematode whose like has not since been observed. I am 

 interested, therefore, to find in my Ceylon collection a similar 

 worm which enables me to confirm Bastian's statement that 

 Eberth's species mentioned above was not an Enoplus, The 

 observations I have made on the Ceylon species, coupled with 

 observations on a new species taken in the Mediterranean, 

 lead to the establishment of the new genus Dipeltis. The 

 characteristics of this new genus are not numerous, but 

 they are well marked. The head was described by Eberth 

 as bearing on either side a peculiar oval plate. These 

 " plates " are in reality an hitherto unknown form of the 

 lateral organs. Each is an ellipsoidal structure nearly as wide 

 as the head and having a thickened margin. Being rather more 

 pointed anteriorly than posteriorly and extending to the very 

 base of the lips, they give to the head of the worm when seen in 

 profile a peculiar eel-like or fish-like appearance. In other par- 

 ticulars Dipeltis is in nowise very remarkable. 



The cuticula, which may or may not bear conspicuous hairs, is 

 very finely striated. The mouth was said by Eberth to be 

 furnished with three papilla?. It appears to me, however, that 

 these " papillae " are rather to be denominated lips. One of them 

 seems to be more pointed than the others —to be, in fact, spear- 

 like. The oesophagus is simply conoid. The ventrally arcuate 

 tail is supplied with caudal glands. Ocelli are present in some 

 species. 



