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49 
organisation than any creatures already noticed, and amongst its 
advantages 1s the possession of a distinct nervous system. LExperi- 
ments prove that, whatever power of vision the creature may have, 
‘it has in a marked degree the sense of smell. His appetite, too, is 
good. He is fond of such things as oysters, which he is able to get 
atin less time than some of us would require for the same purpose. 
Many worms live in the sea and build for themselves stony tubes. 
These tubes are firmly attached to the rocks or to the shell, and 
they afford great protection to the animals which are able to draw 
themselves quite back, and then to close the door. Species of 
serpula are abundant here, as elsewhere, and their breathing organs 
which they put out are like beautiful little scarlet fans. All the 
marine worms do not make a hard tube to live in, as some of them 
are content with a pliable tube to which grains of sand, small stones, 
and pieces of shell are attached. A familiar example is seen in the 
Terebella (specimen) which may be found sticking erect out of the 
sand or mud. The broad fringe at the top of the tube might be 
taken for part of the worm, but it is only a part ot the tube, but it 
does not seem to serve any special purpose. 
Hyery fisherman knows the lugworm, or lobworm, which is much 
used for bait. It has to be dug out of the sand or mud, where its 
presence is known by the mark on the surface. The worm is several 
inches long, and though not just the kind of thing ladies would like 
to handle, it is well worth a careful examination. It is a dorsi- 
branchiate which simply means that its branches or breathing 
organs are on its back. Amongst the lower animals the gills (for 
such they are), vary greatly in form and position, and the differ- 
ences are of much value in classification. 
The sea mouse, which many of us have admired, is really a sort 
of short thick worm, and a dorsibranchiate. It is grandly called 
Aphrodita after one of the nymphs. As we find it on the beach 
left by the retreating tide, it is a dead-alive thing, but no one can 
help noticing its splendid tints. The body is oval, three or four 
inches long, of a brownish grey colour, and silky. On the sides 
- are rows of stiffspines mixed with hairs which reflect all the colours 
of therainbow. The tints of orange and green are specially brilliant. 
The creatures gills are arranged in pairs along the back, being 
covered by scalyplates. Any doubts as to the affinity of the sea 
mouse with worms will soon be set at rest by an examination of 
the ring or segments of the body. Should the hairs and spines 
. present a difficulty, it must be said that the common earth worm 
is furnished with bristles, and is not the smooth-bodied animal we 
may take it to be. We should not thave expected to find worms 
bearing the names of nymphs such as Nereis, Euphrosyne, Eunice, 
&e., but many of them are so gaily coloured as to deserve the 
