POLYCH^TA OF THE L.M.B.C. DISTRICT. 259 



species (recorded now for the first time as British) has 

 short branchiae and apices of palmular setae very much 

 drawn out. 



Family : Amphictexim;. 



This is a family wherein Malmgren has introduced much 

 unnecessary sub-division. For instance, take his two 

 genera Amphictene and Pectinaria, the former contain- 

 ing P. auricoma, the latter, P. belgica. His generic 

 definitions for the two are nearly word for word the same, 

 almost the only divergence being that he states that in 

 Amphictene the margin of the post palmular area is cirrate- 

 dentate whereas in Pectinaria the same region is entire. 

 Again, the former constructs a curved tube — the latter a 

 straight one — all which, while they may be good specific 

 distinctions, seem to me altogether too trivial to possess 

 generic value. Again, Malmgren erects the genus Lagis 

 to contain species possessing 15 and 12 pairs of capillary 

 and uncinigerous setae respectively in contradistinction to 

 Amphictene and Pectinaria with 17 and 13 pairs. This 

 division is apparently founded upon an error as both 

 P. {Amphictene) auricoma and P. belgica possess only 15 

 and 12 pairs. If Malmgren' s Lagis really possesses the 

 number of bristle bundles stated by him, then Lagis as a 

 genus must cease to exist and must be merged into 

 Pectinaria. 



Pectinaria (Amphictene) auricoma, (Miiller). 



Hab : 12, 13. 



Dredged from 20 — 22 fathoms in company with P. 

 belgica, which they generally surpass in size. Not found 

 at any time in great number. Malmgren gives the number 

 of fascicles of capillary bristles as 17 pairs, and the uncinig- 

 erous rows as 13 pairs, but careful examination of all the 

 specimens available showed but 15 pairs of the former 

 and 12 pairs of the latter. 



