NEREIS. 153 



dark belts crossing the back, on a greenish-yellow broader predominant 

 line. 



This is a beautiful animal, somewhat akin to the preceding. Rare. 



PLATE XX. 



FIG. 7. Nereis ellipsis. 



8. Anterior extremity, enlarged. 



9. Section of the body, enlarged. 



10. Posterior extremity, shewing the terminating organs, enlarged. 



9. NEREIS FULGENS Iridescent Nereis. NEREIS des Beaucondray, 

 Andouin, et Edwards f Plate XXII. Figs. 6, 7, 8. 



Length above seven inches ; breadth, at the head, above four lines. 

 Figure of the body roundish, consisting of above 100 segments. Anterior 

 and posterior extremity, terminate each in a fork, the latter being two 

 slender bristles. The portion comprehending the head, is a smooth 

 cylinder beyond the first segment of the body, with eight antennular 

 organs, some of them apparently of two and three faint articulations, 

 and two at the extremity ; besides which, are two stout conical organs, 

 widely apart, tipped by a smaller soft spongy-looking substance. Eyes 

 four, blue, set in a quadrangle. Colour of the body universally orpiment 

 orange-reddish ; a darker longitudinal line, composed of so many short 

 lines, one on each segment down the back. Belly lighter. The whole 

 surface is finely iridescent, reflecting the prismatic colours, whence it may 

 be conjectured that this is the Nereis versicolor of nomenclators. I have 

 never seen any specimens, of many taken in Scotland, with a tinge of 

 green. 



Two black incurving jaws are seen within the orifice of the proboscis, 

 the extremity projecting just beyond it. 



The whole body is bordered by a row of papillae, with a white sum- 

 mit, generally three on each segment, from whence pencils or bristles 

 issue. 



u 



