160 NEREIDiE. 



line in breadth, and of a duller colour than the centre with dusky 

 bristles. The proboscis is armed as usual with prickles, but they 

 are smaller than in most true Nereides, and the circular series on the 

 basal segment is interrupted towards the dorsal side. In one speci- 

 men, 90 segments were counted, in another 120 ; they are subequal, 

 narrow, smooth, convex dorsally, flat on the ventral surface, and 

 deeply incised. The anal has short styles. The feet are lobulated, 

 the lobes parallel on the anterior segments, but soon attaining their 

 full development, and not altering materially on the posterior portion 

 of the body. The colour of living individuals is tile-red, marked 

 along the back with two snow-white lines; but the lines and red 

 colour are completely removed by maceration in spirits, and the 

 body becomes a uniform pearl-grey, or white with a slight tint of 

 red, or sometimes yellowish-brown. There is usually a dusky spot 

 at the base of the anterior feet ; and a dark spot on the tip of the 

 dorsal lobe of the posterior feet, producing a fine effect ; but this 

 character does not appear to be constant. 



Two species may be confounded in this description ; but it would 

 require an examination of living specimens to resolve the doubt I 

 entertain. 



(«) South Devon, G. Montagu. 



(b) Sandgate, Rev. Ger. Smith. 



(c) Hastings. 



{d) Berwick Bay, Br. Johnston, 

 (e) No locality. 



Plate XV. Fig. 4. A side view of the foot of Nereilepas fucata, from 

 about the middle of the body. 



A specimen of a worm, which, I believe, is referable to this species, 

 presents some peculiarities that are owing, probably, to the strength 

 of the spirits in which the individual had been immersed. It is a 

 powerful worm, remarkably rigid, so that the body breaks when it is 

 attempted to be bent, of an ochre-yellow colour without spots, but 

 with a dark line down the centre of the back, marking the course of 

 the blood-vessel. The annuli are very distinct and narrow, all of 

 them furnished with large thick compound feet that project on each 

 side, and form a close-set series of strong compressed lamellae or 

 oars. The superior branchial lobe is strongly bumped, with a cirrus, 

 which, on the anterior feet only, projects beyond the apex of the 

 lobe ; on the middle and posterior feet it just reaches the point, or 

 only slightly exceeds it. The bristles are blackish or dark brown. 

 The anal segment is rounded and apodous, but terminated with two 

 tentacular styles. 



A specimen which was softened by long immersion in spirits, was 

 distinguished by having the apices of the lobules of the feet on the 

 posterior half of the body of a dark or black colour. The lobules of 

 the anterior feet were not so distinguished. The colour of the body 

 was pearly on both surfaces. There was a group of spinous granules 

 at the base of the jaws on both dorsal and ventral aspects of the 



