144 Rev. Mr Gill on the Palolo. 
On the Palolo. Communicated by the Rev. Mr GIL, Mis- 
sionary, in a Letter to R. CHAMBERS, Esq. 
One of the natural curiosities of the South Pacifie Islands 
is the Palolo. 
The Palolo is the native name given by the Samoa islanders 
to a sea-worm, which appears regularly every year, near to 
a few of the boat-openings in the great barrier reef round 
the islands of Upolo and Savaii, the two largest islands of 
the Samoa group. 
There are many singularities connected with the Palolo, 
calculated to excite attention and to demand investigation. 
1. The time of its appearance. 
’ It invariably appears on the morning of the day when the 
moon enters her last quarter, either in the month of October, 
if the moon quarters late in that month, or if not, it occurs 
in November; and this at the same time every year. A few 
of the Palolo may be seen on the previous morning, but the 
day of the moon’s quartering is the grand day. After that 
forenoon not the Jeast vestige is to be seen until that day in 
the following year. They appear in great quantities about the 
dawn of day, and continue on the surface of the sea until the 
sun is about two hours high above the horizon; they then 
break up into small fragments, dissolve into a yellow creamy 
matter, having to all appearance fulfilled their destiny. 
2. The worm is found swimming in a spiral form, as if at 
random, often singly, but generally collected in shoals. They 
vary in length, from a few inches to two and three feet. In 
thickness none exceed. the eighth of an inch, and the segments 
number according to the length of the animal. 
- It has long hairs along each side, so that, with the excep- 
tion of the head, it is not much unlike the Geophilus longi- 
cornis, or the Scolopendra electrica of Linn. The head is 
something like that of an earthworm. In colour they vary ; 
brown, blue, and green of all shades. 
3. Not the least singular fact connected with their appear- 
ance is the difficulty of ascertaining from whence they come. 
None are found outside the barrier reef, but always inside, in 
