262 THE INHABITANTS OF THE SEA. 
CHAP. XChV. 
MARINE ANNELIDES. 
The Annelides in general—The Eunice sanguinea.—Beauty of the Marine Anne- 
lides.—The Giant Nemertes.—The Food and Enemies of the Annelides.—The 
Tubicole Annelides.— The Rotifera—Their Wonderful Organisation.— The 
Syncheta Baltica. 
Tue class of the Annelides, or annulated worms —to which also 
our common earth-worm and the leech belong — peoples the 
seas with by far the greater number of its genera and species. 
All of them are distinguished by an elongated, and generally 
worm-like form of body, susceptible of great extension and con- 
traction. The body consists of a series of rings, or segments, 
joined by a common elastic skin; and each ring, with the ex- 
ception of the first or foremost, which forms the head, and the 
last which constitutes the tail, exactly resembles the others, 
only that the rings in the middle part of the body are larger 
than those at the extremities. The head is frequently provided 
with eyes, and more or less perfect, feelers ; the mouth is armed 
in many species with strong Jaws, or incisive teeth. The blood 
is red, and circulates in a system of arteries and veins. 
With the idea of a worm we generally connect that of in- 
completeness; we are apt to consider them as beings equally 
uninteresting and ugly, and disdain to enquire into the wonders 
ry! | | \ | | reel | | / / ji 
aut ful Wht {Wl \ (NA NOVEVAVEUGU EU AVEVEUAN, VAVIVAVAN = /\ eVe' Me LZ — 
Ht mi? DMTAT mn 7 } 7 Wa - = ; SS 
Mat =— 
\ 
Nervous Axis of an Annelidan. 
of their organisation. Buta cursory examination of the Eunice 
sanguinea, a worm about two and a half feet long, and frequently 
