658 Tin: marine annelides of the order serpulea, 



(pi. XXXI., fig. 1, »., and pi. XXXIV., fig. 7) presents 

 the form of a somewhat oval brown body situated in the 

 anterior region of thorax and having its long axis directed 

 nearly longitudinally. In this body two parts are distinguishable, 

 a posterior with thinner and clearer walls, and an anterior dark 

 brown and having the walls somewhat folded. I can find no 

 trace of any opening into the perivisceral cavity. In front the 

 gland is continued into the duct, which passes almost directly 

 inwards to meet with its fellow in the middle line. The delica + e 

 common duct [a.) into which the gland-ducts of opposite sides 

 unite passes straight forwards to open towards the ventral side of 

 the anterior end of the body, between the bases of the branchiae. 

 Each lateral duct is ciliated and its epithelial lining is granular ; 

 while I have been unable to find any trace of cilia in the common 

 duct and its epithelium is free from conspicuous granules. The 

 gland itself (pi. XXXIV., figs. 8 & 9) is lined with a. layer of very 

 remarkable cells. They are very large, densely granular cells of 

 a form which ma}^ be described as that of a cone with an obtuse 

 apex and a polygonal base. The polygonal bases of contiguous 

 cells fit in together so as to form a continuous lining for the sac 

 of the gland ; while the apices project freely into the lumen- 

 Each cell possesses a large spherical nucleus situated near the 

 base. The truncate apex of each cell is provided with a leash of 

 extremely long and fiamentous cilia or rather flagella, often four 

 or five times the length of the cells themselves, and often much 

 longer than the breadth of the cavity of the sac. In certain 

 positions groups of the cells are elongated so as to form a 

 prominent ridge projecting into the cavity. A very thin fibrous 

 coat invests the gland. 



In Vermilia the duct is wider than in Eupomatus, and dilates 

 before it opens into the gland, which is divided into four parts. 

 The latter are long and wide thin-walled sacs, the inner pair 

 approaching one another in the middle line and encircling about 

 a half of the retractor muscle of the branchiae ; the outer placed 

 close to and connected with the body-wall at some distance from 

 one another on the ventral aspect. The inner pair extend further 

 back than the outer. 



