﻿898 
  Transactions. 
  — 
  Zoology, 
  

  

  sets 
  by 
  a 
  fissure 
  on 
  each 
  side 
  ; 
  each 
  filament 
  has 
  a 
  short 
  stalk, 
  with 
  a 
  tuft 
  

   of 
  numerous 
  forked 
  papillse 
  on 
  its 
  summit 
  ; 
  exterior 
  to 
  the 
  orifice 
  of 
  the 
  

   proboscis 
  there 
  are 
  four 
  fleshy 
  tubercles 
  placed 
  at 
  the 
  angles 
  ; 
  scales 
  fifteen 
  

   pahs, 
  roundish, 
  smooth, 
  thin 
  and 
  vesicular, 
  blotched 
  with 
  black 
  stains 
  and 
  

   specks, 
  the 
  first 
  pair 
  small, 
  laid 
  over 
  the 
  head, 
  the 
  anal 
  pair 
  oval 
  ; 
  feet 
  

   thirty-nine 
  pairs, 
  largest 
  and 
  most 
  developed 
  near 
  the 
  middle 
  of 
  the 
  belly, 
  

   very 
  small 
  and 
  approximate 
  at 
  the 
  anus, 
  biramous, 
  the 
  branches 
  wide 
  

   asunder 
  ; 
  the 
  superior 
  carries, 
  in 
  a 
  sort 
  of 
  crest-like 
  fashion, 
  the 
  long, 
  

   flexible, 
  brilliant-coloured 
  bristles 
  which 
  form 
  the 
  silky 
  fringe 
  on 
  each 
  side 
  

   of 
  the 
  body, 
  and 
  above 
  them 
  some 
  still 
  more 
  delicate 
  hairs, 
  which, 
  by 
  their 
  

   intertexture, 
  constitute 
  the 
  membrane 
  covering 
  the 
  scales, 
  and 
  with 
  which 
  

   the 
  strong 
  spiniform 
  bristles 
  are 
  intermixed, 
  placed 
  in 
  a 
  sort 
  of 
  cross 
  series 
  ; 
  

   the 
  inferior 
  branch 
  is 
  armed 
  with 
  three 
  rows 
  of 
  stout, 
  short 
  bristles 
  ; 
  in 
  

   the 
  upper 
  row 
  only 
  two 
  or 
  three, 
  which 
  are 
  longer 
  and 
  stouter 
  than 
  those 
  

   of 
  the 
  next 
  row, 
  in 
  which 
  there 
  are 
  five 
  or 
  six, 
  and 
  which 
  again 
  are 
  

   stouter 
  but 
  less 
  numerous 
  than 
  those 
  in 
  the 
  lower 
  row 
  ; 
  spine 
  golden- 
  

   yellow, 
  conical, 
  smooth 
  ; 
  superior 
  cirrus 
  long, 
  subulate, 
  bulged 
  at 
  the 
  base; 
  

   the 
  inferior 
  short 
  and 
  conical 
  ; 
  anus 
  large, 
  with 
  a 
  dorsal 
  aspect, 
  encircled 
  

   with 
  several 
  tentacular 
  cirri. 
  

  

  " 
  The 
  very 
  vivid 
  iridescent 
  hues, 
  which 
  the 
  hairs 
  of 
  this 
  remarkable 
  

   worm 
  reflect, 
  render 
  it 
  an 
  object 
  of 
  wonder 
  and 
  surprise 
  to 
  the 
  most 
  

   incurious 
  ; 
  they 
  are 
  not 
  equalled 
  by 
  the 
  colours 
  of 
  the 
  most 
  gaudy 
  butterfly, 
  

   and 
  rival 
  the 
  splendour 
  of 
  the 
  diamond 
  beetle. 
  It 
  creeps 
  at 
  a 
  slow 
  pace, 
  

   and 
  in 
  its 
  progress 
  a 
  current 
  of 
  water 
  is 
  ejected 
  at 
  short 
  intervals, 
  and 
  

   with 
  considerable 
  force, 
  from 
  the 
  anus. 
  "When 
  placed 
  in 
  fresh 
  water, 
  the 
  

   creature 
  gives 
  immediate 
  signs 
  of 
  its 
  painful 
  situation, 
  and 
  soon 
  dies, 
  first 
  

   ejecting 
  a 
  white 
  milky 
  fluid, 
  and 
  in 
  the 
  agony 
  of 
  death, 
  a 
  large 
  quantity 
  of 
  

   blackish-green 
  turbid 
  liquor. 
  The 
  size 
  and 
  strength 
  of 
  the 
  proboscis 
  is 
  

   remarkable, 
  and 
  not 
  less 
  so 
  the 
  structure 
  of 
  the 
  filaments 
  which 
  garnish 
  

   the 
  orifice. 
  The 
  oesophagus 
  is 
  short 
  ; 
  the 
  stomach 
  and 
  intestine 
  seem 
  to 
  

   be 
  alike 
  and 
  inseparable 
  ; 
  together 
  they 
  form 
  a 
  straight 
  intestine, 
  some- 
  

   times 
  with 
  a 
  wide 
  dilation 
  in 
  some 
  part 
  of 
  its 
  canal, 
  with 
  a 
  velvety 
  inner 
  

   surface 
  folded 
  into 
  iDngitudinal 
  plaits 
  near 
  the 
  termination 
  at 
  the 
  anus." 
  

   (Cat. 
  Worms, 
  B.M., 
  p. 
  104.) 
  

  

  I 
  have 
  quoted 
  Dr. 
  Johnston's 
  descriptions 
  and 
  remarks 
  at 
  some 
  length 
  

   in 
  the 
  hope 
  that 
  the 
  attention 
  of 
  local 
  collectors 
  being 
  called 
  to 
  this 
  branch 
  

   of 
  our 
  fauna, 
  we 
  shall 
  soon 
  possess 
  better 
  specimens 
  of 
  this 
  very 
  interesting 
  

   group 
  than 
  are 
  at 
  present 
  to 
  hand. 
  

  

  Unfortunately 
  our 
  specimen, 
  which 
  is 
  very 
  yoi;ng, 
  does 
  not 
  show 
  the 
  

   brilliant 
  iridescent 
  colours 
  mentioned 
  above; 
  it 
  is 
  of 
  a 
  uniform 
  dull 
  brown, 
  

   but 
  after 
  a 
  very 
  careful 
  examination 
  and 
  comparison 
  with 
  two 
  specimens 
  

  

  