312 Mr. P. H. Gosse on neiv or little-knoicii Marine Animals. 



The generic name is from Kpoaao^, a fringe, and aro/xa, the 

 mouth ; the specific alludes to the fable of the long-eared Phry- 

 gian king, 



Fam. Sabellad^. 



Genus Protula (Griibe) . 



P. Dysteri (Huxley). 



I obtained this beautiful and interesting species at Ilfracombe, 

 both from deep water, and from the sides of perpendicular rocks 

 at extreme low tide. I had prepared drawings and a memoir of 

 it for publication, supposing it to be new ; but I find that my 

 friend Mr. Huxley has described it far better than I could, in the 

 'Edinb. New Phil. Journ.' for January of the present year. I 

 had the pleasure of repeating most of his observations, and in 

 particular that of the fissiparous increase of the species. 



Class TURBELLAllIA. 

 Order Planariea. Tribe Rhabdoccela. 



Genus Convoluta (Oersted). 

 C. paradoxa (Oersted) . 



This little worm I met with in April of the present year at 

 Weymouth, crawling out of tufted weeds from low water. But at 

 Ilfracombe in July it occurred in far greater abundance, crowd- 

 ing the branches of the common Coralline and Ceramium. The 

 manner in which the lateral edges of the body are rolled over, so 

 as to form an imperfect cylinder, with an oblique orifice ante- 

 riorly, renders it a highly curious form. In their movements the 

 little creatures were very active ; crawling swiftly along the 

 branches, and especially about the terminal filaments, frequently 

 two or three on the same tip, with a smooth gliding progress, 

 much like that of an Eolis or Doris, but more nimble. They 

 frequently raise the fore parts, and occasionally almost the whole 

 body, adhering only by the posterior portion, and then explore 

 the surrounding water, as a caterpillar throws its head about at 

 the tip of a twig. Then they often glide ofl" into the free water, 

 and swim with exactly the same sort of motion as they used on 

 the weed. 



Having immersed several of them in fresh water, with a view 

 to killing them before placing them in spirit of wine for preser- 

 vation, I found that in a very few moments they were dissolving, 

 by the commingling of their exterior surface with the water, so 

 as to present only undefined and incoherent masses of mucus. 



