THALASSEMIA AND ECHIURUS. 427 



the descriptions of Pallas and Montagu, that it possesses a 

 short retractile trunk, as well as an oral appendage. Mon- 

 tagu's account of its habits, when alive, is all we know of 

 them, but is most full and interesting, and may be found in 

 the eleventh volume of the Linncmn Transactions. 



The Ecliiurus vulgaris is a much larger and more remark- 

 able animal. A great number of individuals of this species 

 were thrown up on the sandy shore of St. Andrews during last 

 winter after a severe gale of wind. The largest specimens 

 measured about six inches long and half-an-inch in diameter. 

 The body of the creature is cylindrical, annulated with little 

 fiat tubercles, which were floccose towards the two extremi- 

 ties. From the anterior end projected a proboscis about half- 

 an-inch in length, not furnished with tentacula, and having 

 a deep red margin at the extremity. This proboscis is re- 

 tractile, but not so a singular furrowed fleshy appendage 

 placed alongside of it. This appendage is highly extensile, 

 and forms a sort of sheath to the proboscis. A little way from 

 its junction with the body are two shining yellow cartilaginous 

 bristles ; short, lanceolate, curved,, acuminate, and retractile. 

 These are the genital hooks. From between them runs a red 

 line down the body towards the anus, marking the course of 

 an internal vessel. The whole of the body is of a bright pink 

 colour, with obscure paler narrow rings and speckles caused 

 by the minute tubercles of the skin being of a paler hue. 

 The anus is placed at the posterior extremity on a somewhat 

 flattened disc, which is surrounded by two circles of corneous 

 setoe, similar in structure to tin; genital hooks, but shorter. 

 Tin'}- are ten in number in each circle. The anus is round 

 and red. The sheath of the proboscis differs in colour from 

 the rest of the animal, being of a bright scarlet. Tt is so 

 slightly affixed to the body as to break oir on the least touch, 

 and in only one or two cases did "we find it attached, and then 

 it broke away immediately on the removal of the animal. 



