78 



HALF AN HOUR WITH SEA-WORMS. 



of life. After the Terebella has reached this stage it 

 seems to repose. The cilia of the head are lost, and 

 it gradually passes into the form such as we have 

 Fig. 34. described it, exuding a mucus 



and forming a tube. 



So far we have been dealing 

 with objects which are not re- 

 pulsive, but rather the contrary. 

 It is possible, however, that the 

 next group of sea-worms, the 

 Errantia, may not be regarded 

 with the same favour. In truth, 

 many of them do not seem very 

 pleasant objects to handle. But 

 they are well worth half an 

 hour's study, and our observant 

 readers are sure to meet with 

 some of them during their recre- 

 ative zoologising by the sea- 

 shore. We will take the little 

 " lob-worm " first (Arenicola pis- 

 catorum), so called on account 

 of its being a favourite bait 

 The antiquity of this humble 

 and obscure object is second to that of no other 

 creature, for we find the " castings " of extinct 

 species (Arencolites) in the oldest stratified rocks 

 of Great Britain. The modern species has a rapid 

 burrowing power, retreating out of sight in an 

 instant. It excavates a series of chambers in the 



Tube of Terebella. 



for shore fishing. 



