Dli. W. BAIRU ON NEW TUBICOLOUS ANNELIDES. 15 



simplices, ad finera curvatae. Tubiili repentes, in massam luagnam 

 glomerati, dorso plane cariuati, ligula plana, os supra exteusa ter- 

 minati. 

 Hab. Promontorio Bonae Spei. (Mus. Brit.) 



The animal differs from that of the specimens from New Zea- 

 land in being less deeply coloured, and perhaps being longer in 

 proportion to the size of the tube. This is smaller, and the 

 dorsal keel is perhaps rather flatter and less sharp-pointed at its 

 extremity. The two sets of specimens, however, agree in this 

 particular, that the animals, when softened in water and then 

 immersed in spirits of wine, impart to the liquid the same beau- 

 tiful red colour, though, as may be supposed from the animal 

 being less deeply coloured, those from the Cape of Good Hope 

 give out a slightly fainter hue. 



3. Placostegus latiligulatus, Baird. (PI. I. figs. 3, 3rt, h.) 



Char. Animal Placostego carinifero simile. Color corporis fuscus. 

 Branchiae albae, caeruleo fasciatae. Operculum calcareum, circulare, 

 coucavum, caeruleum. Tubuli repentes, flexuosi, dorso late carinati, 

 carina in latam ligulam, supra os extensam desinens. Os interne 

 caeruleum. 



Hah. ? (Mus. Brit.) 



Only one mass, consisting of about 100 or more tubes, is in 

 the possession of the Museum, and no history is attached to the 

 specimen. The animal, softened in water and taken out of the 

 tube, as far as can be ascertained from the imperfect state of the 

 specimens, is very similar in appearance to the animal of the 

 Placostegus cariniferus. It is about the same size as those taken 

 from the var. Kraussii, from the Cape of Grood Hope, but dift'ers 

 a good deal in colour. The body of the animal is of a fuscous- 

 brown colour, the branchial filaments white, banded with blue, and 

 the operculum is of an azure hue. The tubes are broad, clustered 

 together, and creeping in a very flexuous manner ; they are of a 

 bluish colom*, the mouth of the tube deeply so, and the flat 

 dorsal keel is somewhat of the same hue. The tube itself and 

 the keel which runs along the back are broad, the latter part 

 especially so at its extremity, where it terminates in a flat, strap- 

 like tooth or sort of hood which extends some way beyond the 

 rounded mouth (fig. 3 h). The surface throughout is much 

 wriukled,and thewhole tube presents an ii-regular form of growth. 

 We have no history attached to this specimen ; and were it 

 not that the animals in some of the tubes still exist, the mass 

 might be taken for a group of fossil tubes. 



