72 VERMES. 



A. GORDIUS MINOR viRiDis. Plate IX. Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. 



This is a littoral animal, dwelling chiefly under stones on the shore 

 within the flowing tide. Length seven or eight inches ; breadth a line 

 or more. The head is distinguished by a groove, as that of the Gordius 

 maanimus, and, like it, the mouth is a longitudinal slit in the under sur- 

 face of the anterior. Colour universally green ; darker on the upper 

 surface, paler below. Plate IX. fig. 2, head, shewing the groove ; slightly 

 enlarged, fig. 3. 



This animal feeds voraciously on mussel. It reposes frequently on 

 the side of its vessel, sometimes so high as to be partly out of the water. 



Ropes of spawn, containing numerous white ova or capsules, are pro- 

 duced by this species in February, March, and April, or other seasons. 

 A specimen taken in September, spawned in the middle of March, and 

 others continued spawning throughout that month in surprising quan- 

 tities. 



The specimen, Plate IX. fig. 2, spawned profusely 'in March and 

 April, and in different quantities, of very remarkable appearance and ar- 

 rangement on different occasions. The first rope exceeded two inches 

 in length, by above a line in diameter, fig. 4. ; a portion of the spawn 

 deposited a month later, fig. 5. 



The former consisted of a double row of somewhat spherical, per- 

 fectly transparent, ova or capsules, with an apex directed inwards to 

 the longitudinal axis or centre of the rope, each ovum containing two 

 white germs, as discovered by the microscope, fig. 6. The second por- 

 tion, fig. 5, consisted of a rope of the most transparent albumen, with 

 ova or capsules amidst it, each containing from three to seven pure white 

 germs. The capsule or integument was almost invisible from extreme 

 transparence. These capsules being so disposed, that four of them oc- 

 cupy the diameter of the rope, the long rows, with their white contents, 

 form a rich and interesting microscopical object, fig. 7. 



A specimen lived some time in familiarity with the Gordius maxi- 

 mus, apparently apprehending no danger. 



