222 SPOLIA ZETLANICA. 



individuals reach maturity without having this part of the limb 

 more or less extensively nibbled away by their comrades in cap- 

 tivity. Can this accidental erosion have led to the supposed 

 distinction of the species ? The slender individuals in the lower 

 right hand corner of the figure (4) aie the males, which have 

 functional wings and very small wing-covers, the reverse being 

 the case with the female insects. 



There is a well marked difference in the eggs of crurifoUum 

 and athanysus. That of the former has five winged lateral ridges 

 and a prominent spiked cap. The egg of athanysus is very much 

 smaller, has only a small tubercle on the cap, and the lateral ridges 

 are low and inconspicuous, merely giving to the eggs a slightly 

 angular appearance. 



In the accompanying photograph, the second and third insects 

 in the middle row, show signs of having been nibbled by their 

 companions. 



E. ERNEST GREEN. 



7. A Harbour Worm and a Boxing Grab. — Ever since the 

 visit of Professor Haeckel to these shores in 1881 it has been 

 recognized that Colombo offers few inducements to biologists 

 who cumber themselves about things of the sea. Nevertheless, if 

 time and opportunity allowed, a great deal might be gleaned 

 from the outer^reaches of the Colombo Harbour ; and the Northern 

 Arm of the Breakwater is already attracting a host of creatures from 

 the surrounding depths. Amongst these there comes occasionally 

 a remarkably fine Annelid worm belonging to the family Am- 

 phinomidse. Its name is Chloela Jiava (Pallas); it is particularly 

 characteristic of the Indian Ocean and has been known to 

 naturalists for nearly a century and a half. It attains a length of 

 nearly five inches or more when fully extended and an inclusive 

 breadth of about one inch. The number of segments is limited, 

 not exceeding forty, and this number is only reached in the 

 fully mature condition. Smaller and therefore younger indi- 

 viduals have fewer segments, the number of the latter being 

 roughly correlated with the size ; thus examples about half to 

 three-quarters of an inch in length will have 24-21:1 segments. 

 The head region is characterized by the presence of a peculiar 

 organ called the caruncle, which stretches back over several 

 of the anterior segments. Behind this region, each segment 



