394 Prof. Grube on the Annelid Family Maldaniea. 



quently the longer of the posterior segments are very much 

 inflated behind by the elevation of the cushions on which the 

 uncini are inserted, and may easily be torn away from the fol- 

 lowing ones, which commence with a thin part. All the seg- 

 ments, however, are not armed with bristles in the same man- 

 ner : the buccal segment is quite destitute of bristles, as in the 

 Lumhricina ; the three following segments certainly bear setae, 

 but only a few uncini, or, instead of these, a pair of spinules, 

 slightly bent at the apex ; and the terminal segment and also 

 usually from one to three (four) of the preceding ones, which 

 are much abbreviated, are again destitute of bristles, although 

 the latter generally have indications of the cushions in which 

 the uncini are elsewhere inserted. In contradiction to other 

 recent observers, Quatrefages describes uncini here also. In 

 accordance with this, Quatrefages distinguishes three regions 

 of the body in the Maldaniea, of which the middle one {regio 

 intermedia) embraces the large and always preponderant num- 

 ber of segments furnished with setae and complete rows of un- 

 cini. The uncini, always of an elongated sigmoid form, are 

 distinguished from all similar ones by the circumstance that 

 beneath the apex of their usually multidentate beak a band- 

 like chitinous lamina is placed. The cephalic and caudal ex- 

 tremities are so arranged that, although they do not prevent 

 ingress to the tube constructed by the animal, which is open 

 at both ends, because this is much longer, they very conve- 

 niently protect it in its tube against an intruder. They are 

 constructed on much the same plan as in the PectinaricBj the 

 dorsal surface of the buccal segment usually forming a firmer 

 plate inclined forwards, and the terminal segment a similar 

 plate inclined backwards, or a funnel, which con-espond with 

 the tube in diameter ; in the Pectinarice^ however, the terminal 

 plate belongs to several of the last segments, which together 

 constitute a valve which can be turned downwards. The 

 cephalic lobe itself is but little developed in the Maldaniea, 

 and is probably to be sought only in the narrow longitudinal 

 strip, projecting in front as a free lobule, which divides the 

 vertical lamina of the buccal segment into two parts for a 

 greater or less distance, and is marked oiF by a furrow on each 

 side. In order to establish a genus of Maldaniea, therefore, 

 both the ends of the body, of which the structure is so charac- 

 teristic, must be preserved ; and this, owing to the readiness 

 with which these animals are torn, is frequently not attain- 

 able. Thus we know only the anterior halves of Clymene 

 torquata^ Leidy, Leiocephalus parvus^ Quatref., and Clymene 

 ehiensisj M.-Edw., and of the genera Rhodine, Malmgr., and 

 Mandrodes, Iphianissa^ Neco, and Milittaj Kinb. ; Clymene 



