26 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [320] 



rocks, and on muddy shores, is the AmpMtrite ornata, (Plate XVI, fig. 

 82.) This worm constructs rather firm tubes out of the consolidated 

 mud arid sand in which it resides, casting cylinders of mud out of the 

 orifice. It grows to be twelve to fifteen inches in length. Its color is 

 flesh-color, reddish, and orange-brown to dark brown, and it has 

 three pairs of large plumose or arborescent gills, which are blood- 

 red. The tentacles are flesh-colored, very numerous, and capable 

 of great extension, even to the length of eight or ten inches, and are kept 

 in constant motion in gathering up the materials with which it con 

 structs its tube. Two species of worms, remarkable for their soft bodies 

 filled with bright red blood, which- is not contained in special blood 

 vessels, are also found under stones where there is mud in which they 

 can burrow. The smaller of these is Polycirrus exitnius, (Plate XVI, tig. 

 85.) Its tentacles are very numerous, and are extended in every direc 

 tion by forcing the blood into them, which can be seen flowing along in 

 the form of irregular drops, distending the tubular tentacles as it passes 

 along. The second species is a much larger and undescribed species, 

 remarkable for its very elongated body and for having very singular 

 branching gills on the sides along the middle region ; the first and last 

 of these gills are simple or merely forked, but those in the middle are 

 divided into numerous branches ; and in either case each branch is 

 tipped by a cluster of setse. In allusion to this remarkable feature I 

 have called it Chcetobranchus sanguineus. Its tentacles are like those of 

 the last species, but longer and more numerous; in full-grown specimens 

 they can be extended twelve to fifteen inches or more. Its color is blood- 

 red anteriorly, but more or less yellowish at the slender posterior part. 

 It is very fragile and it is seldom that a large specimen can be ob 

 tained entire. It grows to be twelve to fifteen inches long. This, like 

 the three species last mentioned, feeds upon the minute organisms 

 contained in the mud, which it swallows in large quantities. Two 

 species of Lumbriconereis are, also, frequently found burrowing in the 

 mud and sand beneath stones, but they belong more properly to the 

 muddy shores. They are long, slender, reddish, and brilliantly irides 

 cent worms, readily distinguished by having a smooth, blunt-conical 

 head, without tentacles. They are carnivorous and have complicated 

 jaws. The head and anterior part of the body of the larger species (L. 

 opalina V.) is represented in Plate XIII, figs. 69, 70. The other (L.tenuis 

 V.) is very slender, thread-like, nearly a foot long, and has no eyes. 



There are several kinds of highly organized annelids which may be 

 found adhering to the under side of stones or concealing themselves in 

 crevices. Among these are three species, which have the back covered 

 with two rows of large scales. One of these, having twelve pairs of 

 nearly smooth scales, is the Lepidonotus sublevisV., (Plate X, fig. 42;) 

 the color is variable, but usually brown or grayish, with darker specks, 

 thus imitating the color of the stones. Another more common species 

 is the Lepidonotus squamatus, (Plate X, figs. 40, 41,) which also has 



