1904.] POLYCHiETA OF THE MALDIVE ARCHIPELAGO. 283 



at that end to which the woi-m's head is directed. Their resem- 

 blance to quills is increased by the presence of delicate membranous 

 rings inside at intervals. 



Grube's figures give the general appearance of the body, though 

 the peristomial segment is not, in these specimens, so incon- 

 spicuous, nor do the palps show themselves anteriorly below the 

 frontal tentacles. His figure of the dental apparatus is not quite 

 accurate, especially in the peculiar bending of the mandibular 

 forceps. The figure (PL XIX. fig. 8) gives their shape, which is 

 that usual in this group. The darker shading indicates the 

 restriction of bro^vn chitin to small portions, the main mass of 

 the plates being calcareous. The end-plates of the lower jaws are 

 in young specimens a regular oval, in the older notched as in 

 Pi. XIX. fig. 9, and later the two distal points become still more 

 prominent. 



The modifications of the feet and setse are those typical of this 

 group and genus (see text-fig. 42), the only features characteiistic 

 of the species being («) the acicular sette, whose ends curiously 

 resemble a miniature machinist's key ; (&) the comb-setfe, Avhose 

 teeth are shortened and rounded as shown in fig. 10, PI. XIX. 

 This appearance is not due to wear, being found invariably in all 

 the numerous combs of both anterior and posterior feet. 



PI. XIX. fig. 1 1 represents three of the special setfe of the first 

 three pai-apodia. Only one of the three shows the characteristic 

 "incomplete articulation," and hoods over the hooked points may 

 or may not be present. 



The dorsal ciiTus is well developed until the gill-region is 

 reached, when it somewhat suddenly decreases in size {cf. text- 

 fig. 42, A & B). 



Genus Onuphis. 



Onuphts holobranchiata Marenzeller *. 



Three well-preserved but veiy small specimens (1 mm. wide) 

 were collected (1) by breaking up stones on the reef of Minikoi 

 Atoll ; (2) from 5-7 fathoms in the southern part of the lagoon 

 of the same atoll ; (3) dredged off Mahlos Atoll, from 23 fathoms, 

 bottom rubble and sand. This distribution, from shore to 

 20 fathoms, coincides with that found in East Africa. 



The hind end of all the specimens is wanting, as is the case in 

 all others hitherto collected. 



These specimens are now colourless, and so show the small 

 reddish eyes in the lateral position given by Marenzeller, which 

 are hidden by the general body pigmentation in the African 

 specimens. 



The gills here begin on the first segment, as is normal in the 

 species. 



* " Siidjapanische Annelidon," Denkschr. k. Akad. d. Wiss. Wicn, xli. (1879). 



