POLYCMTA—BENHAM. 
21 
The median prostomial tentacles in the present specimens have 16 annuli ; the 
laterals 12 ; the dorsal peristomial cirri present 17-18 ; the ventrals 15 (Ehlers found in 
a specimen from the Chatham Islands as many as 21-23 respectively). 
The dorsal cirri have a spindle-shape outline, which is characteristic for the 
species ; the cirri of the anterior six to eight segments are longer than the rest; their 
length is greater than the breadth of the body here ; the sixth being the longest ; it 
has 20 annuli. 
The remainder of the dorsal cirri are fairly uniform'in length, but not absolutely 
so ; though this seems to me due to inequality in contraction. 
The length of these cirri over the greater part of the body is rather less than the 
breadth of the body; I find 12-13 annuli in most of them. Ehlers gives 8-11, usually 
the latter, and in specimens from the Chatham Islands as many as 21. Fanvel gives 
10-15 for Red Sea specimens. 
I find (fig. 1) that each parapod is supported by 3 or even 4 acicula, which lie 
close to one another above the bundle of chgetao. The end of each aciculum is dilated 
just below the blunt tip, which is obliquely truncated and projects from the surface, 
(fig. 2). In some individuals, however, there is no dilatation, and the apex is 
symmetrically pointed. 
The pharynx commences in the 4th chgetigerous segment, as is seen in a specimen, 
mounted entire in glycerine; it extends back to the tenth segment, where it enters the 
“ stomach” (or “ ventriculus”) which occupies segments 11-18; the intestine at first 
passes forwards from this point, and then bends backwards. It is from the former 
region that the pair of long cylindrical cseca are given off, one of which reaches forwards 
into the 14th, the other only as far as the 15th segment. 
E pit ok ous Phases. 
A male and a female occur amongst the material gathered at Boat Harbour at 
Si fathoms. 
They measure 12 mm. in length, with a width of 1 mm., and contain about 
32 segments. The eyes are large and red. They agree generally with the account 
and figures given by Ehlers. 
I note, however, that four eyes are present in both sexes, one pair on the dorsal, 
the other pair on the ventral surface. Ehlers figure shows the male to be blind. 
The prostomial tentacles of the male are longer than in the female, but are not 
moniliform in either sex. 
The male is entire, and possesses two long moniliform anal cirri, longer than the 
dorsal cirri of that region. In the male the long modified chseta commence in the 
third cliset'gerous segment, in the female in the seeond. 
Ehlers notes that the spawning time occurs in December and J anuary. These 
were gathered in the former month. 
