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Notes on the littoral Po/ychceta of Torquay. 



By 

 Major E. V. Elwes. 



The following notes are confined to the species of Polychseta, which 

 have been found by myself during the last four years, between tide- 

 marks, on the coast comprised within the Borough of Torquay. 

 Torquay is so well known as a hunting ground for the marine zoologist 

 that it is unnecessary to describe the features of the shores. No special 

 study of the Polychata of Torquay appears to have been previously 

 made, although the locality, Torbay, occurs somewhat frequently in the 

 British Museum Catalogue of Worms. 



Syllidae. 



Twenty species of Syllids have been found ; of these eight have not 

 apparently been previously recorded from the British area. They are, 

 Trypa7iosyllis cceliaca, Clpd. ; Autolytus elibiensis, de St. Joseph ; A. 

 longiferiens, de St. Joseph ; A. macrophthalma, Marenzeller ; Gruhea 

 clavatu, Clpd. ; Eurysyllis paradoxa, Clpd., and Pionosyllis lavielligera, 

 de St. Joseph. The Syllids were nearly all obtained by bringing home 

 the roots of Laminaria and placing them in glass vessels, when in a few 

 hours the Annelids crawl out and can be picked out with a pipette. 



ExoGONE GEMMIFERA, Pagenstecher. Mcintosh, Mon. Brit. Ann., 

 vol. ii., 1908, p. 151 ; de St. Joseph, Ann. Sc. Nat. Zool., 1886, p. 209 (as 

 Poedophylax claviger). 



This species is by no means uncommon at Torquay amongst sea- 

 weeds from half-tide mark downwards. When such weeds are placed 

 in a glass jar, Exogone is one of the first species to leave the shelter of 

 the weeds and crawl out on the glass sides ; but unless observed within 

 five or six hours from the time the weed is placed in the vessel, it pro- 

 bably will not be noticed, because it very quickly dies and falls down 

 amongst the debris, where, owing to its small size, it is almost im- 

 possible to find it. 



