DE. BAIRD ON THE APHKODITACEAN ANNELIDE3. 175 



its scientific name, called it, in the 1st edition of the ' Eauna Sue- 

 cica,' 1746, Aphrodita nitens ; but in the 10th edition of the 

 ' Systema Naturae,' 1758, he changed the specific name and called 

 it Aphrodita aculeata, a name which he repeated in the 2nd edi- 

 tion of the ' Fauna Sueeica,' 1761, and which has been adopted 

 by all succeeding authors up to the present time. According to 

 the strict law of priority, we ought perhaps to revert to the first- 

 published name of the species, and name it for the future Aphro- 

 dita nitens ; but in this instance I agree with the illustrious Pallas, 

 who upon this very subject thus writes : — " HI. Linnaeus, qui 

 primus generi nostro Aphroditce nomen indidit, in prioribus ' Sy- 

 stematis JSTaturse ' editionibus banc solam speciem, nomine A. 

 iiitentis, recensere solebat ; eodemque eam titulo in ' !Faun. Su.' 

 ed. 1, n. 1284, in ' Mus. Adolpho-Frid.' vol. i. p. 43, inque ' Amoeni- 

 tat. Acad.' vol. i. p. 326 habet. In ' Systematis Naturae,' decima 

 editione vero A. aculeatce nomine eam distinxit, quod in altera 

 Eaunae editione, n. 2199, servavit, et quo etiam ego, novandi 

 minime cupidus, tantisper hie utar." — Miscell. Zool. p. 78. 



The Sea-Mouse is so well known that it is unnecessary here to 

 describe it. It has, from its brilliant iridescent colours, been the 

 admiration of all observers. "The Aphrodita aculeata^'' says 

 Linnaeus, "refiecting the sunbeams from the depths of the sea, 

 exhibits as vivid colours as the peacock itself, spreading its jew- 

 elled train." Cuvier, in his 'E-egne Animal,' says that from its 

 sides spring "bundles of flexible bristles, shining brilliantly with all 

 the splendour of gold, and changing into all the hues of the rain- 

 bow. They do not yield in beauty either to the plumage of the 

 humming-bird or to the most brilliant of the precious stones." 

 " L'or, I'azur, le pourpre, le vert," say MM. Audouin and Milne- 

 Edwards, in their ' Hist. Nat, du Littoral de la Erance,' p. 33, 

 " se nuancent a leur surface de mille manieres, et ces couleurs, 

 souvent iris6es, se trouvent dans une harmonie parfaite avec les 

 reflets chatoyans et successifs des anneaux de leur corps. L'aile 

 du PapUlon n'a pas re9u une plus brillante parure que ces vers 

 caches au fond des eaux, et enfonces quelquefois dans un limon 

 noir et boueux." 



There are many specimens in the collection of the British 

 Museum, varying from 7 or 8 inches to 1 inch in length. 



It is common in the coralline region, on almost all our British 

 coasts, on the coast of Erance, on those of Holland, Sweden, Nor- 

 way, N. America, and even, it is said, in the Baltic and Mediter- 

 ranean. (Mus. Brit.) 



