VERMES. 89 



the hopes of recognition by a more fortunate observer ; for I cannot 

 affirm that it afforded me a satisfactory view. 



But, in as far as I could judge, during its presence here for three or 

 four weeks, the body is thick, fleshy, smooth, round, tapering to each 

 extremity, extending twenty- one lines by four in diameter. The mouth 

 appeared to be a short slit, widening upwards below the anterior extre- 

 tremity ; and what I was induced to consider as the opposite extremity 

 was surrounded by a row of cylindrical fleshy spines of moderate length. 



The body, apparently round, has a flat narrow belly, whereon the 

 animal crawls, like the narrow sole of the Doris, and of which the edges 

 close and broaden in the same manner. Its adhesion is slight ; the*belly 

 occupying about a fifth part of the circumference. The skin was smooth 

 and uniform, without segments, or the least indications of them. 



This animal seemed sufficiently vigorous at first, and next morning, 

 was swimming on the surface of the water. Its form was extremely 

 variable ; and it is not impossible that it may belong to some genus un- 

 known to me. Plate X. fig. 11. 



On September 29th, it produced about 150 very minute ova, from 

 the extremity of the lower portion, of a dull yellowish-green. Some were 

 dull, while other specimens were quite transparent, spherical under the 

 microscope, or nearly so, and with an opaque solid nucleus. This was 

 large in proportion to the surrounding albumen, either ovoidal or pyri- 

 form, the latter, perhaps, denoting incipent evolution. Fig. 12. A fort- 

 night later, it produced more ova, in a thin transparent jelly ; at which 

 time it had taken shelter under some stones. 



PLATE X. 



FIG. 11. Vermiculus crassus. 

 12. Ova. 



Examples have been already given of worms with specks on the head, 

 combined with other, and perhaps more predominant features. 



A. VERMICULUS RUBENS. Plate X. figs. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. 

 Length, two inches and a half, or more ; breadth, two lines ; body 



M 



