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VERMES. 
A.—GorDIUS MINOR viripIs.—Plate UX. Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. 
This is a littoral animal, dwelling chiefly under stones on the shore 
within the flowing tide. Length seven or eight inches ; breadth a line 
or more. The head is distinguished by a groove, as that of the Gordius 
mavimus, and, like it, the mouth is a longitudinal slit in the under sur- 
face of the anterior. Colour universally green ; darker on the upper 
surface, paler below.—Plate IX. fig. 2, head, shewing the groove ; slightly 
enlarged, fig. 3. ; 
This animal feeds voraciously on mussel. It reposes frequently on 
the side of its vessel, sometimes so high as to be partly out of the water. 
Ropes of spawn, containing numerous white ova or capsules, are pro- 
duced by this species in February, March, and April, or other seasons. 
A specimen taken in September, spawned in the middle of March, and 
others continued spawning throughout that month in surprising quan- 
tities. 
The specimen, Plate IX. fig. 2, spawned profusely in March and 
April, and in different quantities, of very remarkable appearance and ar- 
rangement on different occasions. The first rope exceeded two inches 
in length, by above a line in diameter, fig. 4. ; a portion of the spawn 
deposited a month later, fig. 5. 
The former consisted of a double row of somewhat. spherical, per- 
fectly transparent, ova or capsules, with an apex directed inwards to 
the longitudinal axis or centre of the rope, each ovum containing two 
white germs, as discovered by the microscope, fig. 6. The second por- 
tion, fig. 5, consisted of a rope of the most transparent. albumen, with 
ova or capsules amidst it, each containing from three to seven pure white 
germs. The capsule or integument was almost invisible from extreme 
transparence. These capsules being so disposed, that four of them oc- 
cupy the diameter of the rope, the long rows, with their white contents, 
form a rich and interesting microscopical object, fig. 7. 
A specimen lived some time in familiarity with the Gordius maai- 
mus, apparently apprehending no danger. 
