EUNICE. 135 



number of joints exceeds 270, about forty of which at the posterior 

 end are of a much paler colour, and appear to be a reproduction ; 

 the rest of the body is of a fine bronze, resplendent with changeable 

 prismatic tints ; the sides furnished with tridentate peduncles, from 

 the middle of which issue a flat fasciculus of hair of a pale colour, 

 and one large black bristle. About the 28th joint commence on 

 each side branched cirri of a blood-red colour, which afterwards in- 

 crease considerably in length ; these originate from the upper part 

 of each peduncle, and are usually hexafid, but unite above the base ; 

 they are not retractile, but are generally carried erect and spread, 

 giving the animal a beautiful appearance. The upper lip is bilobate, 

 behind which are five short tentacula, the middle one standing in 

 the suture of the lip : between the two outer tentacula on each side 

 is a small black eye. The first joint behind the head is broader 

 than the rest, and destitute of peduncles. The posterior extremity 

 is furnished with two small terminal cirri. The mouth is large and 

 placed beneath, concealing most formidable jaws, or complicated 

 fangs, which were protruded occasionally as the animal became 

 sickly, and very frequently in the agonies of death when a few drops 

 of spirits were added to the sea-water. This apparatus consists of 

 three pairs of hooked fangs of a dark colour, one pair smooth, the 

 others toothed, besides a pair of broad plates on the lower part of 

 the mouth." 



" This is the largest species of Nereis yet discovered to inhabit 

 the British shores, extending sometimes to 14 or 15 inches in length, 

 and large in proportion. It inhabits rocky situations, and is found 

 lurking under the broken fragments ; but is rare*. 



"While the animal was in a glass of sea-water, the circulation of 

 the colouring secretion, through the ramifications of the cirri, was a 

 curious object, and appeared to be effected at the will of the animal ; 

 but when it became sickly, the circulation was slower, rising up 

 through the branches of the cirri gradually, as in capillary tubes ; 

 and as soon as it expired, all the colour from these parts vanished." 

 — Montagu. 



(a) Falmouth, W. C. Cocks, Esq. 



(b) South Devon, Mus. Leach. 



(c) Falmouth, JF. C. Cocks, Esq. 



(d) Falmouth. 



(e) South Devon, G. Montagu. 

 (/) Falmouth. 



7. E. margaritacea. 



Eunice margaritacea, Williams in Ann. Sf May. Nat. Hist. ser. 2. xii. 

 408. pi. 14. f. 4. 



* Viviparous? See Ann. des So. nat. x. 159 (1848). 



