CHAPTER V 



VERMES THE WORMS 



THIS is a great and mixed-up group. Formerly the term 

 was used to cover very diverse and anatomically remote 

 animals. For instance, the most unscientific person can, 

 after a moment's consideration, see that such organisms as, 

 say, the tape-worm, in which each division is a separate 

 individual, with its own reproductive organs, the smooth 

 and unsegmented Nematodes, such as the intestinal Ascaris, 

 etc., and the segmented Annelids have not many, if any, 

 points in common. For this complex question I must 

 refer the reader to the recent systems of classification. 

 The Encyclopedia Britannica will throw the necessary 

 light upon this matter, and for the present I shall attempt 

 no system, but just glance at the most important and 

 remarkable forms, be they strictly " vermes " or not, that 

 occur on our shores. 



About the lowest forms that occur, living free on the 

 coast are the Turbellarians. These are flat, semi-gelatinous, 

 little organisms that may constantly be seen, half crawl- 

 ing, half gliding on the surface of stones that can be 

 overturned, in all damp situations on the coast, and at all 

 tide levels. 



Closely allied to them, however, are some striking forms. 

 These are the Nemertina. Like the last, they are unseg- 

 mented, and have no appendages in the way of feet and 

 tufts of bristles, so characteristic of the marine annelids 

 proper. 



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