372 Miscellaneous. 



of ji true coll. If wo pross down a part of the bod^, tliosc cor- 

 puscloa accuiuuluto in certain regions of the circulatory system, 

 and form masses of an intense rod colour. The oscillations of the 

 glol)ules also may be followed by observing a yonng animal by trans- 

 mitted light. The corpuselos arc set in motion by a colourless 

 liquid, in which they float without any constant direction. There 

 is a median doreal vessel ; and two lateral vessels are situated on 

 the ventral face. Beneath the nervous ganglia the dorsal vessel 

 bifurcates and anastomoses with the two lateral trunks, which rise 

 up, follow the posterior margin of the superior ganglia, and con- 

 tinue on to form the cephalic loop. The dorsal canal gives origin 

 to regularly spaced transverse loops. Each of these branches is 

 continued to the flank of the animal, then bends towards the ventral 

 face and opens into the lateral vessel. There consequently exist 

 numerous capillary ramifications, which are exceptional in Nemer- 

 tians, but recall to mind the arrangement indicated by M. Blanchard 

 in Ctrehratulus lnjiwims. 



The proboscis is greatly developed ; and the animal usually projects 

 it at the least contact. The papilla) of the extraversile region are 

 covered with small, ovoid, pedunculate bodies. The bulb seems to 

 be relatively narrow ; its armature can be recognized only with great 

 difficulty. It consists of a recurved, granular, yellowish plate, repre- 

 senting the handle of the style of the ordinary armed Nemertians, 

 and borne upon a hyaline mass representing the " muscular setting" 

 of the Ommatopleans. Several little points are inserted upon the 

 keel of this plate, which is furnished with two bundles of special 

 muscles. These points are in all respects identical with those of 

 the style of the Enopla. I have counted from nine to twenty upon 

 a single plate ; the number varies with the age of the individuals. 

 Lastly, on each side of the bulb there arc eight or ten styligerous 

 vesicles, containing four or five points furnished with a basal ring, 

 and similar to those which arm the central plate. It is interesting 

 to remark that this multiplicity of the styligerous vesicles is in 

 agreement with the great number of small ducts belonging to the 

 principal armature. 



One cannot hesitate to admit that the structure of this proboscis 

 necessitates the establishment of a distinct genus in the group of 

 armed Nemertians. I adopt the name of Drepanoi>horus proposed 

 by M. Hubrecht. This Nemertian certainly cannot remain among 

 the unarmed CerebratuU ; but I cannot accept the different species 

 adopted by the Dutch naturalist. Among the worms found at Mar- 

 seilles, notwithstanding certain differences of coloration dependent 

 on age, I only see one well-characterized form for which it is 

 desirable to retain the specific name given by M. de Quatrefages. 

 The geographical range of Drepanoplwrux, however, seems to be 

 pretty large : it is not uncommon in Sicily and in the Bay of 

 Naples ; Grube has collected it in the Adriatic ; it inhabits the deep 

 coralligenous regions of the Gulf of irarsciUcs ; and its existence in 

 the ocean is placed beyond doubt by Kefcrsteiu's figures. — C'omptes 

 Remlus, April 5, 1875, p. 893. 



