158 Charles W. Hargitt 
show important contrasts when compared with those taken from 
muddy bays, or mouths of rivers. 
Again, in the former paper attention was directed chiefly to 
the reaction of specimens to light, and that too without particular 
efforts to test the variation or modifability of behavior under 
slightly differing conditions. In the present account will be shown 
a much wider range of tests, and some particular results as to 
individual differences of behavior not given before, as well as 
evidences of modifiability to which only incidental reference was 
made. 
Most of the experiments and observations which follow were 
prompted by some results obtained from a series of specimens 
taken from a depth of some twenty fathoms off Gay Head in a 
dredging expedition made by the Fisheries steamer, Fish Hawk, 
early in August, 1906. ‘These colonies were brought to the lab- 
oratory along with other material obtained. Upon arrival the 
specirmens were placed as usual in shallow aquaria containing 
freshly obtained sea-water and left for some time in order that they 
might expand and thus be ready for the usual tests. One of the 
first points of interest noted was the unusual slowness of the worms 
to emerge from the tubes. And when finally there were some 
signs of activity they yet seemed extremely wary, protruding only 
the merest tips of the gills, and frequently retracting them as if 
in fear. This [ took for a time to be due chiefly to the probable 
effects of the rough handling incident to the operation of the dredge 
and their subsequent transfer from vessel to vessel, etc. 
After some hours they at last became fairly expanded in the 
usual manner, though not fully. And when finally the tests 
with shadows were made they showed, to my great surprise, 
wholly negative results. “hey were left again undisturbed for 
some time and then further tested in the same way only to again 
fail to show any sensory irritability. They were then [left tll 
night, when they were tested with the electric light as in the experi- , 
ments of the former year* and here again the results were almost 
entirely negative. ‘This seemed so wholly peculiar, and so utterly 
contradictory of the almost uniformly positive reactions of former 
3 Cf. op. cit., p. 300. 
