HAEMOTHOE- IMBRICATA. 317 



The body, which consists of thirty-seven bristled segments, presents the normal out- 

 line, viz. narrowed somewhat abruptly anteriorly, but very gently posteriorly. 'The 

 dorsum is often boldly pigmented from the first to the last segment with dark touches, 

 which stretch across each segment between the pedicles of the scales or the corresponding 

 papillaa in the other feet. In the anterior segments two of these touches occur, viz. a 

 large one in the transverse "mark" of the segment, the pigment even invading the 

 scale-pedicle, and a narrow one behind the former. In some a narrow belt in front of 

 the larger bar is also present. A pale longitudinal line cuts the large median bar just 

 mentioned into halves, but the smaller anterior and posterior pigment-belts remain 

 entire except in a few posteriorly. The dorsum of the foot has also a sprinkling of dark 

 pigment extending to the bases of the bristles. In some the pigment of the dorsum is 

 much increased, so that the entire surface between the peduncles for the scales is 

 blackish, enlivened only by the lines of the segment-junctions, and the pale lines 

 around the transverse central pigment-bar, for no median longitudinal stripe occurs: 

 The ventral surface is pale, with the exception of the anterior folds of the mouth, which 

 have bands of dark pigment. The large terminal anal cirri are similar in structure to 

 the dorsal, which, again, agree with the tentacle. 



In the British specimens of Harmothoe imbricata the segmental papilla is so long 

 as to merit the name of a cirrus throughout the greater part of the body, the process 

 diminishing anteriorly towards the sixth foot, where it commences, and posteriorly in 

 the terminal feet. So far as could be observed no sexual differentiation of the organ 

 occurs either at the breeding season or subsequently. It is similar in both sexes. The 

 segmental organs (nephridia) were clearly described in the Polynoidse of Prof. Haswell, 

 and shortly afterwards by Prof. A. G. Bourne. 



Digestive System, — Proboscis. — Nine papillse occur dorsally and ventrally in the 

 extruded proboscis, the lower teeth of which bite to the right of the upper. The dorsal 

 papillas are slightly tinted with dark pigment, and the dorsal wall joining the organ to 

 the mouth is similarly coloured. 



The first (dorsal) gastric cascum is a long slender tube which passes forward to the 

 body- wall, and terminates in a bulbous region composed of two or three lobes. The 

 narrow part of the canal is whitish like the wall of the gut, while the bulbous 

 terminal portion is slightly yellowish or buff, like the glandular cseca of the gut, with 

 which it agrees in structure. The second is nearly as slender. The two succeeding 

 increase gradually in size. The next passes nearly transversely out, and begins the 

 series of deep yellowish lateral glandular casca. 



The contents of the gut show sponge-spicules, foraminifera, star-fish plates, bristles 

 of annelids, sand, and mud. Occasionally, however, portions of other annelids, such as 

 Nereis pelagica, occupy the intestine. It is a voracious form. 



Scales (Plate XXXII, fig. 10) fifteen pairs. The first pair are rounded, minutely 

 dotted all over with short blunt spines, and have at the posterior border a series of 

 somewhat clavate papillas of variable number (six to twelve), which are visible under 

 a lens. The outer and posterior margin bears short clavate cilia. The minute blunt 

 spines increase in size at the outer and posterior borders. The rest of the scales are 

 reniform or obliquely ovate, minutely spinous, the outer margin being furnished 

 with short clavate cilia, and in certain specimens with large and small subglobose or 



