REPOET ON THE ANNELIDA. 
125 
male the ventral papillm are much longer and more tapered than in the female, indeed 
the terminal region is separated from the basal by a joint. In both, the processes as well 
as the enlargement at the base are well developed. 
AU the scales are absent, but judging from the pedicles, twenty-four pairs seem to 
have been present. The pedicles are borne far outward on the feet, so that they appear 
to be parts of, and must be freely movable wdth, these organs. 
The feet are greatly developed, both as regards the setigerous division and the 
bristles. The foot behind the tentacular cirri bears dorsally the first scale, and a ventral 
cirrus fully as long as the former cirri. The next foot has a much smaller ventral cirrus, 
which does not reach so far outward as the terminal process covering the end of the 
spine of the succeeding foot. The feet gradually increase in the free portion, and soon 
become very prominent organs. When fully formed there is dorsally either a pedicle for a 
scale or a cirrus (PI. XX. fig. 6), wAich, though long, does not extend beyond the tips of 
the bristles. A long elevation terminating in the process covering the dorsal spine next 
succeeds ; but in no instance are any traces of bristles visible. 
The inferior branch has its spinous process greatly elongated, and from this point 
downward is a series of very long, flexible, and translucent bristles, which flatten out as 
they approach the tip, and become serrated after the manner of the Polynoidse, but the 
extremity (PI. XIIa. fig. 17) is quite different from anything yet known in the group. 
It curves from the serrated edge, and diminishes to form two broad, dagger-like, terminal 
processes. The spinous rows beneath the latter are very fine. 
A large though somewhat flattened boss occurs on the proboscis, close beneath the 
central frontal region. The anus is almost terminal. 
In the female the ova are both large and numerous. 
The structure of the body-wall of this form shows certain interesting divergencies 
from the ordinary type. Thus the cuticle is thin, ventrally, while the hypoderm in the 
middle line is greatly developed, forming a thick layer over the nerve-area and the 
ventral longitudinal muscles. This coat is not scooped out opposite the nerves to any 
extent, the circular muscular fibres mostly passing to their exterior, though the prepara- 
tion is not so well preserved as to show these fibres distinctly. The cords are thus placed 
far inward, and have a band of connective tissue separating them from the body-cavity. 
They are rounded in transverse section. 
The ventral longitudinal muscles are peculiarly curved (apparently rolled together), 
so that in section they are kidney-shaped, the hilum being superior. 
The wall of the proboscis is somewhat thin, the cuticle well-developed, and the 
hypoderm blackish. A conspicuous ridge occurs dorsally and ventrally. 
In the presence in the dorsal division of a solitary spine and the absence of bristles, 
this species agrees with Mr. Haswell’s Polynoe astrolepis from Torres Strait.^ 
1 Froc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales, vii. p. 292. 
