640 MR J. T. CUNNINGHAM AND MR G. A. RAMAGE ON THE 



anteriorly on each side a slight transverse process, instead of ending in a point, 

 as in Nerine. In other respects the genus resembles Nerine. 



Scolecolepis vulgaris (Johnston), Malmgren. 



Nerine vulgaris, Johnston, Cat. Brit. Mus. 



Scolecolepis vulgaris, Malmgren, loc. cit. ; M'Intosh, Fauna of St Andrews. 



Common at Granton under stones near low-water mark, among blackened 

 rotting sea-weed. The animal is long, and much more slender than Nerine. 

 The external characters are represented in PI. XXXVII. figs. 3, 3 a, &c. 



Genus Spio, Oersted. 



The name was first used by Fabricius, but defined in its present sense by 

 Oersted {Arch./. Naturges., x. 1, p. 106). 



The chief characters are — Body minute filiform, cephalic lobe notched at 

 anterior extremity ; occipital tentacles very long, and thick in proportion to the 

 body ; constrictions between somites deep ; notopodia with setaceous bristles 

 only; uncini in the neuropoclia bidentate ; branchial cirri continuous with 

 laminae ; anus provided with four short processes. 



Spio seticornis, Fabr. 



Nereis seticornis, Fabricius, Fn. Gronl., p. 306. 



Spio seticornis, Fabr., Schr. Naturf. Freunde, Berlin, vi. p. 260. 



Spio seticornis, Oersted, Arch. f. Naturges., x. 1. 



Specific Characters. — Branchial cirri on the 3rd segment (2nd setigerous) 

 well developed, distinct from notopodial lamella ; 2nd, 4th, and following- 

 somites without branchial cirri ; these occur again on the 12th or ] 3th, and 

 several following somites, disappearing again towards the posterior extremity; 

 8th and following neuropoclia bearing only uncinate setae. Tubes of sand, 

 long, tough, and flexible {vide figs. 4, 4 a, &c). 



Habits. — We have always found the tubes of this species in the middle and 

 upper part of the littoral zone, in clefts of rocks and under stones. The tubes 

 are very abundant, but from their length and the fragile nature of the worm, 

 it is difficult to extract the latter from its dwelling without injury. 



t 



Anatomy.— The nerve cords are wide apart, and there are no neural canals. 

 The epidermis on the ventral surface of each somite is greatly thickened and 

 glandular, containing a large number of mucous cells, which stain deeply. Ova 

 are seen in transverse sections of the middle part of the body nearly filling the 

 body-cavity. 



