180 
branch gibbous at the apex, from which depends a short 
cirrus, furnished with a dense tuft of long silky setae, fine as 
spun glass, which arch backward towards the scales, and a 
lower tuft of jointed ones ; inferior ramus, bearing two kinds 
of setae, the lower very long and flexible, and the intermediate 
ones jointed, the blade filiform, rough, articulate like the 
hair of a mole. 
Scales smooth, hyaline, persistent, convex, closely imbri- 
cated, not covering the feet, fringed at the outer margin with 
a few pectinate-pinnate processes. Some of the anterior 
scales are seated on alternate feet, but the majority arise from 
a large ovate tubercle, which is found at the base of each foot. 
These tubercles are filled with ova, and appear like a white 
opaque spot through the scales, and from their outer border a 
stout curved cirrus originates, clothed with vibratile cilia on 
the lower side, and extending a little beyond the scales. 
Head small, concealed, hemispherical ; eyes four, minute, 
the pairs approximate. Upper antennae minute, two on 
each side, placed at the angles of a broad basal portion, which, 
like the feet, bears a tuft of silky setae ; lower antennae much 
longer. The anterior feet exceed the head in length, and 
project beneath it almost to the median line, so that it is 
difficult to make out the exact details. 
Proboscis as broad as long, compressed ; the lips clothed 
with a row of simple fimbriae ; jaws four, alternate, pointed. 
The worm is sluggish in confinement, generally remaining 
coiled spirally like a serpent. Under the lens it is a beautiful 
object, the long silky setae spreading like the feathers of a 
bird of paradise — the daintily fringed, translucent scales, 
through which the ciliated tentacles are seen in constant 
motion — and the play of prismatic colours on the surface — 
are sure to excite wonder and admiration. 
Nereid m. 
Phyllodoce lamellicjcra , Johns. Rare ; at low water mark 
