EPHESIA GRACILIS. 49 



papillae some of which are longer, viz. a median and two lateral, which are held to 

 be of the nature of tentacles ; two superior and two inferior tentacles, the two pairs being 

 separated from each other by three long papilla?; eyes four, two on the second and 

 two on the fourth segment (De St. Joseph, 1894). A little in front of a line drawn 

 between the centre of the third pair of globular processes are four minute eye- 

 specks, the anterior pair being the closer. They disappear in many spirit-preparations. 

 No special definition of the region occurs posteriorly, the first globular processes, which 

 are small, are close behind. 



Body (Plate LXXXVIII, fig. 10), ranging from 2\ inches downward, slender, 

 elongate, tapering gradually toward each extremity, but more distinctly posteriorly, the 

 tail being considerably smaller than the head. The mouth opens on the ventral surface 

 immediately behind the tip of the snout, and a somewhat clavate, smooth, muscular 

 proboscis occasionally projects. The number of segments would seem to vary, the large 

 example of more than 2J in., having about 120 bristled segments. The lateral papilla? 

 commence as small organs immediately behind the snout and gradually increase in size 

 till the average is reached in the middle of the body. They remain nearly of similar size till 

 the caudal narrowing takes place when they again diminish, and they become much smaller 

 as well as nearer each other toward the tip of the tail, which ends in a small rounded 

 extremity with a larger globular papilla on each side, as large, indeed, as the seventh 

 from the tip. The contrast is thus pronounced. The entire surface of the body is 

 studded with thinly distributed papillae which form transverse rows, about three 

 occurring between each globular process. Such gives an appearance of fine transverse 

 stria?, of which there are three or four in each segment. Each papilla is conical, having 

 externally the translucent cuticle, and a central axis of hypoderm. A few of the papillae 

 are larger, and possess a basal process from which the clavate terminal part projects. 



The anterior part of the body is of a straw-colour for a short distance, the rest being 

 of a pale brown or dull reddish brown, the hues being darker over the intestinal region 

 posteriorly. Some have a faint lilac or purplish hue in the centre in July. The globose 

 tubercles are of an opaque yellowish white throughout. 



The foot consists dorsally of the opaque white globular process which appears to be 

 a modification of a cirrus. It is smooth throughout, and has at its outer and upper 

 surface a clavate papilla similar to those on the surface of the body. In Rathke's figure 

 this is much larger than in nature. The conical setigerous lobe occurs beneath, and 

 its surface and tip are hispid with large papillae like those which appear on the 

 surface of the body. It is supported by a single strong, translucent, tapered spine, 

 which has a tip either simply pointed or bevelled. De St. Joseph observed a nerve-twig 

 enter the sphere and pass to the terminal papilla. The bristles (Plate CIII, fig. 9) have 

 nearly cylindrical straight shafts when seen on edge, only slightly tapered at the knife- 

 like tip. When viewed laterally the shaft gently increases in diameter from the 

 base distally, and has a backward curve below the tip which has the shape of a bill-hook, 

 viz. a broad dilatation at the base and a sharp, curved hook distally. The number of the 

 bristles is usually four in the typical process. 



It is probable that in some cases the authors have not sufficiently studied the 



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