50 THE SALMON FISHER. 



liabit of leaving their burrows at that time, when 

 they come to the surface in vast numbers, swimming 

 about like eels, and becoming an easy prey to many 

 kinds of fishes. Boring annelids have also the habit 

 when making their perforations in the sand, of rota- 

 ting rapidly in a spiral coil, whereby they penetrate 

 "with great rapidity, often disappearing almost in- 

 stantly ; whereby it is possible to account for the 

 attractions to the salmon of revolving spoons and 

 spinning tackle, the color of the worms being red r 

 purple, yellow and crimson as well. 



Furthermore : some of these annelids are carniv- 

 erous and very rapacious, according to Prof. Verrill, 

 from whom we learn much of their habits. Nereis- 

 virens and Ehyncobolus americanus, both common to 

 the north Atlantic, have large retractile probosces, 

 armed with strong, fang-like jaws at the ends, and 

 many smaller teeth at the sides, whereby they seize 

 and devour their prey. Nereis grows to the length 

 of eighteen inches. They live largely upon other 

 worms, and thus we are able to account for the pres- 

 ence of tape worms, thread worms, and round worms 

 in sea trout and salnxon. Naturalists aver that the 



