ON THE BRITISH ANNELIDA. 271 



reflex movements by the influence of their own ganglia, which may thus con- 

 tinue to propel the body in opposition to the determinations of the animal 

 itself. The case is still more remarkable when the nervous cord is not 

 merely divided, but a portion of it is entirely removed from the middle of 

 the trunk, for the anterior legs still remain obedient to the animal's control ; 

 the legs of the segments from which the nervous cord has been removed are 

 altogether motionless, whilst those of the posterior segments continue to act, 

 through the reflex power of their own ganglia, in a manner which shows that 

 the animal has no power of checking or directing them." 



Parallel experiments to the preceding, performed on any of the Annelida, 

 lead invariably to corresponding results. From these and similar observa- 

 tions, the conclusion may be safely drawn that the ordinary movements of 

 the locomotive appendages of annulose and articulated animals are reflex in 

 character, and may take place under the exclusive agency of the ganglia of 

 the segments to which they may be superadded, whilst in the perfect being 

 these movements are harmonized, controlled and directed by impulses which 

 act through the cephalic ganglia and the nerves proceeding from them. As 

 formerly stated, the operations to which these latter ganglia are subservient 

 are entirely of a consensual nature, being immediately prompted by sen- 

 sations, chic-fly those of sight and hunger, and never by any processes of 

 a truly rational character. The habits of the Annelida, however atten- 

 tively watched, suggest irresistibly the inference, that, although evidently 

 directed to the attainment of certain ends, they are very far from being of 

 the same spontaneous nature, far from indicating the same designed adapta- 

 tion of means to ends, as those of the higher and more intelligent animals. 

 The actions of these little humble beings are uniform and unvarying, for 

 ever repetitions — the different individuals of the same species executing pre- 

 cisely the same movements when the circumstances are the same — and by 

 the very elaborate nature of the mental operations which would be required, 

 in many instances, to arrive at the same results by an effort of reason. The 

 Sabellce in the construction of their tubes repeat the same invariable ' round ' 

 of actions ; they obey an impulsive principle which discovers no change of 

 plan. The Terebellce gather the shell-fragments for the manufacture of their 

 tubes on principles of the same monotonous uniformity. The Sand-lug un- 

 dermines the strand, generation after generation, with exact and undeviating 

 regularity. Though governed only by the unreasoning impulses of instinct, 

 these little worms yet construct for themselves habitations, which, in elegance 

 of arrangement or appropriateness of structure, the most enlightened human 

 intelligence, working on the most refined geometrical principles, could not 

 surpass. 



It is not easy to express the pleasure which is excited in the mind of the 

 observer of nature while contemplating the habits and manners of the An- 

 nelida. Every movement exemplifies the curve of beauty ; every tentacle 

 winds ceaselessly and rapidly through a thousand forms of matchless grace. 

 Whether coiling round a visible object, or picking up a microscopic molecule 

 for the construction of the cell, it exhibits a delicacy and precision of aim 

 which the erudite finger of the most skilful artisan never equalled. The re- 

 fined perfection of its muscular performances is matched only by its exquisite 

 sensibility. Like the human hand, of which the manifold endowments have 

 exhausted the admiring eloquence of philosophers and theologians, it unites 

 in its little self the most varied capacities. It is at once an eye, an ear, a 

 nose and a finger ; it sees, it hears, it smells, it touches ! Leading for the 

 most part a subaqueous or subterranean life, the sense of sight in the Annelid 

 is little required ; and gifted in every part of the body with a superlative 



