Narrative of Bahama Expedition. 127 



Nearly all were Annelids and most of these TuBicoLyE. 

 Several species of Eunicid.-e are objects of exquisite beauty, 

 owing to their brilliant iridescent colors, which flash and glow 

 like Jewels when the animals are examined in the sun-light. 

 To those persons who regard worms as repulsive objects, such 

 a display is a useful revelation. Like most iridescent hues, 

 these are evidently due to structure and not to pigment. This 

 explains the fact that these species do not lose their brilliancy 

 in alcohol, as is usually the case where pigment is involved. 

 The specimens before me have been immersed in alcohol for 

 about sixteen months, and yet their beaut}' seems but little 

 impaired. The Serpulid.-e were especially abundant in the 

 moat around Fort Jefferson, where their tubes were attached 

 firmlv to the masonry, and the flower-like tentacles were the 

 objects of delight to the collector, and served as a further 

 illustration of the rare beauty of marine worms. The tubes 

 w^ere so firmly soldered to the masonry, however, that they 

 could not be removed without da.mao;e. 



Among the Errantia, which do not construct tubes, were 

 some that proved really formidable on account of their severe 

 stinging powers. Several of our party w^ere badly stung by 

 the poisonous bristles that appeared soft and silky, and yet 

 penetrated the cuticle and doubtless conveyed a very severe 

 irritant poison which caused a benumbed feeling in the hand 

 and arm, accompanied by intense burning pain. The species 

 which inflicted this suffering on the incautious collector has 

 not been identifled. It is among the larger of the worms 

 secured, and the bristles are in rows of tufts on the sides. 

 The^' were found among the heads of Poriies in the shallows. 



There is no place, probably, on our Atlantic coast where 

 Mollusca are more abundant and more conspicuous than at the 

 Tortugas. Messrs. Oilman Drew and Arthur M. Rogers, who 

 had this group in hand, had to call others to their aid in taking 

 care of the quantities of ''conchs" that were brought in with 

 the return of each boat. The old moat, especiall}', was a 

 conchologist's paradise, and the walls were studded with 

 various species of gastropods, man\' of them having the foot 



