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



praestomium. Palmulae wanting. Branchiae filiform, 4 on each side. A single 

 small spine in form of a hook, curved backwards, on each side behind the 

 insertion of the branchiae. The three anterior setigerous somites coalesced, 

 forming as it were a sheath, free in front, aduate behind, inferiorly and laterally 

 surrounding the oral and branchiferous region. 4th setigerous somite furnished 

 dorsally with a membranous crest, which is equally denticulated on its anterior 

 edge. Fascicles of capillary setae present in 18 segments, the 3 anterior without 

 a tubercle, 15 following furnished with a subcylindrical tubercle. Uncini- 

 gerous pinnulae commencing from the 4th setigerous segment, and present up 

 to the end of the body. A minute subcorneal papilla above the uncinigerous 

 pinnula in the segments of the posterior part of the body, which are destitute of 

 capillary setae. Capillary setae slightly curved, winged (limbatae). Uncini 

 pectiniform, subtriangular, with rounded angles, about 4 teeth. 



Melinna cristata (Sars), Malmgren. 



Sabellides cristata, Sars, Fauna Littoralis Norvegiae, ii. p. 19. 

 Melinna cristata, Malmgren, Nordiska Hafs-Annulater, Svensk. Akad. 

 Forh., 1885 ; M'Intosh, Fauna of St Andrews. 



Dredged north of Inchkeith ; also on Middle Bank opposite Granton, 6 

 fathoms, August 1886. M'Intosh at St Andrews records it merely as frequent 

 in the stomachs of cod. 



Examination of this species has shown that neither the description of Sars 

 nor that of Malmgren is rigidly correct. From its external characters the 

 body may be divided into 5 regions — (1) the cephalic, including the buccal 

 somite ; (2) the branchial ; (3) the thoracic ; (4) the abdominal. 



The cephalic region is composed of the praestomium and buccal somite. The 

 praestomium is but slightly developed ; from it spring a number of filiform 

 tentacles which can be withdrawn into the mouth, a condition they usually 

 retain in spirit specimens. 



The branchial region consists of 4 somites, not 3, as Malmgren and Sars 

 believed ; these somites form a collar. A ridge projects from the anterior part 

 of the 2nd somite ventrally, and is continued laterally on each side as far as 

 the posterior boundary of the 4th somite. Between the lateral ridges is a 

 deep dorsal depression, from the bottom of which the branchiae, 4 on each 

 side, arise. The branchiae are filiform, but thicker than the tentacles; they belong 

 to the 2nd and 3rd somites, or to one of these. Posteriorly the dorsal depres- 

 sion is bounded by a denticulated transverse ridge which projects from the 

 dorsum of the 5th setigerous somite. The 4th setigerous somite bears, imme- 

 diately ventral to the edge of the ridge, a fascicle of long notopodial setae, and 

 a single series of neuropodial short setae. Between the notopodium and the 



