Morse. ] 
370 
[March 19, 
The following characters of the Vermes, mainly compiled from Rolleston’s 
“Forms of Animal Life,’’ are here gtven, with the characters of the Brachio- 
pods in parallel columns. 
Vermes. 
Bilaterally symmetrical, depressed 
or flattened, or circular, never flat- 
tened laterally. 
In many cases, above and below 
similar, or these regions distinguished 
with difficulty. 
Most free, some attached. 
Locomotor muscles closely con- 
nected with integumentary system, 
not only on ventral, but on dorsal and 
lateral aspects of body wall. 
In some (Annulata) annulated ex- 
ternally, and divided internally by 
dissepiments, in others not divided. 
Two layers of muscles in body 
walls. 
Digestive canal straight, or seldom 
convoluted. 
Suspended in perivisceral cavity by 
partial dissepiments consisting of del- 
icate tissue. 
Peculiar depuratory apparatus, 
characteristic of the entire sub-king- 
dom. This apparatus in the Annu- 
lata taking the shape of bilaterally 
symmetrical tubes, opening exter- 
nally, and communicating with the 
perivisceral cavity by ciliated infun- 
dibuliform orifices. 
Nervous system consisting at most 
of simple cesophageal collar, to which 
a few accessory ganglia, or chain of 
ganglia, may be appended. 
In some the bilateral elements of 
the nerve chain widely diverging. 
Generative products in most, set 
free in perivisceral cavity. 
Brachiopoda. 
Bilaterally symmetrical, depressed 
or flattened, or circular, never flat- 
tened laterally. 
In many cases, above and below 
similar, or these regions distinguished 
with difficulty. 
Some free, most attached. 
Locomotor muscles closely con- 
nected with integumentary system 
not only on ventral, but on dorsal and 
lateral aspects of body wall. 
Never annulated externally, except 
the peduncle. Asingle dissepiment 
in Lingula. 
Two layers of muscles in body 
walls. 
Digestive canal straight, or seldom 
convoluted. 
Suspended in perivisceral cavity by 
bands consisting of delicate tissue. 
Peculiar depuratory apparatus, 
characteristic of the entire class. 
This apparatus taking the shape of 
bilaterally symmetrical tubes, open- 
ing externally, and communicating 
with the perivisceral cavity by cili- 
ated infundibuliform orifices. 
Nervous system consisting at most 
of a single cesophageal collar. 
The bilateral elements of the ner- 
vous system widely diverging. 
Generative products set free in peri- 
visceral cavity. 
