TUBICOLA. 281 



SABELLA, Cuvier. 



The same kind of body, and similar flabeljiform branchiae, as the Serpulae; 

 but the two fleshy filaments adhering to these branchiae both terminate in a 

 point, and without forming an operculum ; sometimes they are even wanting. 

 The tube of the Sabellae is most commonly composed of granules of clay or 

 mud, and is rarely calcareous. 



The species known are large, and their fan-like branchiae remarkable for their 

 delicacy and brilliancy. 



Sab. protula, Cuv. A large and splendid species inhabiting the Mediterra- 

 nean. Its tube is calcareous, like that of the Serpulae, its branchiae orange- 

 coloured, &c. 



TEREBELLA, Cuvier. 



The Terebettce, like most of the Sabellse, inhabit an artificial tube, but it is 

 composed of grains of sand and fragments of shells ; their body, moreover, has 

 fewer rings, and their head is otherwise decorated. Numerous filiform and 

 extremely extensible tentacula surround their mouth; their branchiae, placed 

 on the neck, are not infundibuliform, but resemble arbusculae. 



AMPHITRITE, Cuvier. 



The Amphitrites are easily recognised by the golden coloured setae, arranged 

 like a crown, or the teeth of a comb, in one or two rows, on the 

 anterior part of their head, where they probably serve as a means 

 of defence, or perhaps enable the animal to crawl, or to collect 

 the materials of its tube. Numerous tentacula encircle the 

 mouth, and on each side of the fore part of the back are pecti- 

 niform branchiae. 



Some of them construct light tubes of a regular conical figure, 

 which they carry about with them. Their gilded setae form two 

 combs, whose teeth incline downwards. Their capacious and 

 frequently flexed intestine is usually filled with sand. Such is 

 Amph. auricoma Belgica of Gmelin, the tube of which is two inches long and 

 formed of variously coloured round granules. There are other amphitrites 

 which inhabit artificial tubes, fixed to various bodies, their gilded seta form 

 several concentric crowns on their head, from which results an operculum that 

 seals up their tube when they contract, but the two parts of which can separate; 

 each foot is presented with a cirrus. The body is terminated behind in a tube, 

 but towards the head. This species is found on the coast of France, and is 

 represented in the engraving. 



SYPHOSTOMA, Otto. 



On the superior part of each articulation, is inserted a fasciculus of fine setee, 

 and on the inferior a simple seta, and on the anterior extremity two fasciculi 

 of strong golden coloured setae. Under these setaceous appendages is the mouth, 

 preceded by a sucker surrounded by numerous soft filaments, which may very 

 possibly be branchiae, and accompanied by two fleshy tentacula. The knotted 



