PHYLLANTINOE MOLLIS. 371 



to the epitocous condition of species perhaps elsewhere described, it has been deemed 

 prudent to continue the generic distinctions. The large size of the eyes and the 

 slenderness of the ventral bristles may be associated with sexual changes. 



Phyllantinoe mollis, Mcintosh, 1876. 



Specific Characters. — Head short and broad, the base of the median tentacle passing 

 far backward between the prominent and acute anterior peaks. Eyes large, especially 

 the anterior pair, the pigment in which is crescentic in the preparation, and placed on 

 the median lateral prominence. The posterior pair are smaller, and lie in front of the 

 nuchal collar. The pairs are separated by a brief interval. The fragmentary example 

 has about forty bristled segments, the body being elongate, and tapering much pos- 

 teriorly. The dorsum has brownish pigment, which posteriorly is regularly arranged in 

 the segments. Segmental eminence prominent, but papilla minute. Dorsal bristles 

 short, stout, translucent, considerably carved, with prominent and somewhat close rows 

 of spines, the tip having a short, acute, smooth region. Ventral bristles translucent, 

 extremely slender ; the spinous region rather long and tapering, with a short smooth 

 portion at the tip, which is simple and slightly bent. The spinous rows are distinct but 

 somewhat close. 



Synonym. 

 1876. Phyllantinoe mollis, Mcintosh. Trans. Z. S., ix, vii, p. 401, pi. lxxii, f. 5 and 6. 



Habitat. — Dredged in 539 fathoms in the Atlantic during the 'Porcupine 5 Expe- 

 dition of 1870. 



Length. — The fragmentary specimen measured about | inch. 



Head (Plate XXVII, fig. 18) in the preparation is shorter than broad, the base of 

 the median tentacle passing a considerable distance backward between the prominent 

 and acute anterior peaks. The four eyes are visible from the dorsum. The anterior 

 pair are unusually large, crescentic in form, and situated on the median lateral promi- 

 nence of the head. Their form would suggest the occurrence of a lens-like corneal 

 thickening in the concavity in front, but the preparation is uncertain on this point. 

 These eyes look forward, outward, and slightly upward. The posterior pair are smaller, 

 but still of comparatively large size, and lie in front of the nuchal collar. They are 

 more or less rounded, with traces of lenses. The pairs of eyes are separated by a brief 

 interval, as in Evarne. All the cephalic appendages are absent. 



Body. — The fragmentary example showed about forty segments, besides head and 

 tail. It is characteristically elongated, and tapers much posteriorly. The whole body 

 is soft and delicate, and the feet comparatively short. The dorsum has a brownish 

 colour throughout, and the pigment posteriorly is somewhat regularly disposed in the 

 segments. The segmental eminence is prominent, but so far as could be made out the 

 papilla is short and small. The ventral surface has the usual pale iridescence. 



No scales are present. 



Feet.— The structure of the feet could not fully be made out, as the condition of the 

 specimen was unfavourable, but they seem to have proportionally short fleshy lobes. 



