ON OTENODRILUS PARVULUS. 591 



On Ctenodrilus parvulus, nov. spec. 



By 

 Robert ScfiarflT, B.Sc, Pb.I>. 



With Plate XLI. 



The genus Ctenodrilus, which was first established by 

 Claparede, is represented by two species, viz. Ct. pardalis and 

 monostylos. 



A new species of this small and most interesting Annelid 

 was recently discovered by Mr. Bolton, of Birmingham, in his 

 seawater aquarium, and forwarded by him to Professor Kay 

 Lankester for identification. Professor Lankester had the kind- 

 ness to place the whole material at my disposal, and gave me 

 the opportunity of pursuing my investigations at the zoological 

 laboratory of University College. Mr. Bolton states that he does 

 not know the exact locality whence the worm originally came. 

 It is certain, however, that it was sent to him from some place 

 along the British coast, where to my knowledge it has not been 

 met with before. I kept about a score of them in a small bottle 

 for some weeks in November and December, 1884, in order to 

 study their peculiar mode of fissiparous reproduction, and if 

 possible to detect their sexual means of propagation. As regards 

 the first item I was successful, but shared the same fate as my 

 predecessors. Kennel and Zeppelin, in not finding any generative 

 organs. 



The worms were at first not very lively, crawling slowly 

 along the glass near the surface of the water, but soon began to 

 divide rapidly. The new species, which I propose to name 

 Ctenodrilus parvulus, differs in several respects from 



