Zoology. 227 



Priapulus caudatus was obtained near Larne, where it 

 burrows in sand. Thalasseina ncptmii is recorded by 

 Templeton from the north of Ireland, and Phascolosoma 

 vu/ga/r was dredged in Strangford Lough by Hyndman. 



R. F. S. 

 CH.-ETOPODA. 



This division includes the great mass of the worms which 

 we commonly meet with, and which live in the ground, in 

 fresh water, and also in the sea. Their body is made up of a 

 series of segments mostly similar to one another, and pro- 

 vided at their sides with processes bearing bristles, which 

 do duty as limbs. We can distinguish three great sections; 

 viz., Polychoeta, Oligochceta, and Hirudinea. 



Polychaeta. — All the Polychset worms are marine. 

 Their limb-like processes referred to are highly developed and 

 bear many long bristles, and there is often a well-marked head 

 with eyes and tentacles. Some of them are carnivorous 

 and lead an active life, others are vegetable feeders and 

 spend their existence in lubes, which they construct for 

 themselves. 



The small band of enthusiastic marine zoologists so ofteti 

 alluded to in these pages, whose headquarters were in Belfast, 

 collected a great many species of these worms, both on the 

 shore and in deep water, and sent them for determination to 

 Dr. George Johnston, who published some interesting papers^ 

 on these collections. Unfortunately he died before he had 

 time to complete his investigations, so that we only possess 

 very fragmentary information on the Polycha^t fauna of the 

 district. Professor W. C. M'Intosh is now bringing out a 

 monograph of the Polychaeta of the British Islands, but 

 only one volume has been issued so far. He has also 

 published a note in the Scientific Proceedings of the Royal 

 Dublin Society in 1896, on a few of the Irish Annelids 

 preserved in the Dublin Museum. Spinther oniscoides, an 

 American species allied to our sea-hare, has only been met 



' G. Johnston. — Contributions towards a History of tlie Irish Annelids. 

 Annals of Nat. Hist., vol. v, 1840. 



