FIG. 526. EupHROSiNE LAUREATA. 



304 DORSIBRANCHIATA ; EUNICE, ARENICOLA, APHRODITA. 



like plates. The Eunice gigantea of West Indian seas is the 

 largest Annelide known; sometimes measuring four feet in 

 length. There are smaller species upon our own coasts. In the 

 Amphinome, the gills have the form of branching or arborescent 

 tufts ; and these are disposed along the whole of the body. They 

 are frequently coloured very brilliantly. The allied genus 

 Euphrosine has thess branchial tufts very much developed ; and 



the body, instead of 

 being long and narrow, 

 has a broad and oval 

 form. The Arenicola, 

 or Lob- worm, is an 

 animaFwell known on 

 our coasts ; being sought 

 for by Fishermen, who 

 use it as a bait. Its 



gills, like those of the preceding genera, have an arborescent 

 form ; but they are disposed on the middle part only of the 

 body. As its name imports, it lives in the sand, in which it 

 burrows to the depth of twelve or eighteen inches : its situation 

 may be known by a little coil of sand, which is seen on the 

 spot beneath which it is to be found. The Arenicola is one of 

 the Annelidans most distinguished by the red colour of its circu- 

 lating fluid ; and this colour is peculiarly seen in the branchial 

 tufts, which have a beautiful crimson hue during the life of the 

 animal. The Aphrodita is an animal well known on our coasts 

 under the name of " Sea Mouse;" probably on account of the 

 large quantity of silky hairs with which it is covered. These 

 hairs are of a very brilliant metallic lustre ; and their colours 

 vary with the play of the light ; so that this animal is scarcely 

 surpassed by any, in beauty of colouring. The back is furnished 

 with two rows of large membranous scales, which somewhat 

 resemble the elytra of Insects ; these inclose the gills ; but they 

 are themselves concealed by the hairy covering just mentioned. 

 The form of the body much resembles that of the Euphrosine 

 (Fig. 526). A large number of Aphroditse are not unfrequently 

 thrown up on our coasts after a gale of wind. In many species, 



