lines and the characteristic furrows of the cuticle, occupies the centre, the sides being
flanked by the cirri and the dense rows of bristles and branchiae. Each row has a
palisade of bristles towards the front of the segment, the cirrus (Plate XXXV, fig. If
standing freely a little behind, while the bran chi as form a series of arbuscles—after an
interval—extending outwards from the latter. The second cirrus occurs in the position
formerly noted, and is generally longer than the other appendages. The anterior part
of the median groove is occupied by the caruncle, which stretches from the front to the
anterior part of the fifth segment, the tentacle springing between the dorsal pair of
eyes in the second segment.1 J. Y. Carus says his E. Audouinii ( = E. laureata, D. Ch.,
and E. racemosa, Ehlers) has a pair of tubercle-like antennas, seven branchial trunks, and
both bifurcate and smooth dorsal bristles. The ventral surface is marked in the British
examples by the presence of a slight median groove; and by the regularly arranged
segments. The first bristle-bearing segment lies on each side of the median fillet, and
ventrally forms a pad on each side of the middle line in front of the mouth; the second
and third slope obliquely inwards towards the first, whilst the halves of the fourth
are continuous behind the mouth, the outer ends being directed forward; and a similar
inclination characterises the eight or nine which follow. The posterior segments, on
the other hand, have the outer regions sloped backwards. Two globular cirri terminate
the body posteriorly, the anus lying above them.
The segments are much more distinctly marked than in Spinther, being readily
recognised dorsally by the palisades of bristles flanked by rows of branckige, and ventrally
by the sulci between each.
The feet are also fairly defined for a group in which the dorsal division forms
part of or becomes confluent with the dorsal arch of the body, and it is this structure
which, amongst other features, gives grounds for the classification followed in the
“ Challenger ” Annelida and in the present treatise. In each segment the innermost
structure is the cirrus, which is attached rather behind the middle of the segment, and
is a tapering organ of considerable length, with a filiform tip richly covered with cilia.
About the middle of the segment the palisade of bristles runs from the inner to, the outer
border. The ordinary bristles have a well-marked spur with a slightly curved tip (Plate
XXXY, figs. 15 and 16). The serrated forms have a deeply cleft tip, both limbs being
curved, the longer doubly so when viewed laterally (Plate XXXV, fig. 17). Milne
Edwards’ figure of this bristle is quite diagnostic, though not absolutely correct. The
figure of the same kind of bristle given by Ehlers for E. myrtosa differs only in its
artistic treatment. Antero-posteriorly, again, this kind of bristle is straight (Plate
XXXY, fig. 18). The palisade of bristles just mentioned terminates at the dense tuft
of bifid bristles of the first-mentioned type (figs: 15 and 16) which projects from the foot
on each side. This tuft includes stout forms with comparatively short bifid tips, as well
as numerous slender forms with the tips almost in a line with the shaft and having
serrations on the edge of the tip (Plate XXXY, fig. 17); the short spur, moreover, has
a membranous guard from the tip to the side of the larger limb. The bristles in the
Hebridean example were remarkably developed all over. Schmarda found a golden
1 Ehlers describes the caruncle of his E. racemosa as having an ovoid basal and a compressed
upper region.
fluid in the axis of the bristles of E. polybranchia, and more careful investigation of
the British forms in life might lead to further information on this point.
In section about four rows of bristles are observed in the tufts, the more slender
being guarded by outer (i. e. anterior and posterior) rows of large bristles. The median
cirrus is situated opposite (in front of) the third branchia, and behind the palisade of
bristles ; De Saint-Joseph says between the second and third branchias.
The ventral cirrus lies between the parapodia, and is thus hidden in the ordinary
position of the parts.
The branchi£e form a series of arbuscles with foliate tips ranged transversely behind
the palisade of bristles. They vary in number from seven to eight. Each consists of
a short main stem, which rapidly and' somewhat dichotomously divides into branches
terminating in the expanded ovate processes. The latter (Plate XXXV, fig. 3) have a
well-marked cuticle with the subjacent granular layer (hypoderm) filling up the central
region. The cells under the cuticular investment are larger and somewhat regularly
arranged. So far as the preparations show, the long cilia occur on the sheltered parts of
the larger branches.
De Saint-Joseph states that he has seen the red blood penetrating the branchiae,
contrary to the opinion of Claparede, but without reaching the terminal enlargement of
the organ, which is shut off by a septum. This has not been observed in our examples. .
Very considerable variation in the form of the branchiae occurs during development,
young examples having few branches, and the tips more or less cylindrical or only slightly
tapered; then they become broadly lanceolate. What relation the condition of the
terminal processes of the branchiae have to injuries and regeneration is at present
unknown, but small forms do not always show elongated tips, some measuring about a
quarter of an inch presenting short branchial arbuscles with broadly ovate tips.
Reproduction.—Ripe ova occurred in the specimens from the Channel Islands in July.
The axial blood-vessels of the ovaries in the species from the Cape were mentioned by
Schmarda.
In describing this species for the first time Audouin and Milne Edwards observe
that it differs little from Euphrosyne myrtosa, found by Savigny on the shores of the Red
Sea. In the latter species, however, he finds but seven branchias, whereas in his species
eight occur; and they are shorter than in E. laureata, and more densely tufted than in
Ef myrtosa, while the tips are large and ovoid. The caruncle, moreover, is narrow,
almost linear, rather elevated, instead of being ovoid, very large, and depressed.
The same form was mentioned as British in 1844 by Mr. W. Thompson, who
dredged it in Belfast Bay on shelly ground in six to ten fathoms, the discrimination of the
species having been made by Prof. Allman. Mr. Grosse, again, procured it at Weymouth
in 1853, and describes the minute tentacle at the tip of the caruncle as flattened and
truncate instead of subulate, and the general colour bright cinnamon-red rather than
cinnabar, while the median ventral line is purplish. .
The E. mediterranea of Grube1 appears to be closely allied if not identical with this
species. It comes from Lussin Piccolo, Villa Franca, and other places on the southern
shores, and the same remarks apply to Victor Carus’s E. Audouinii (z=Lophonata Audouinii,
1 ‘ Arch. f. Naturges.,’ 1863, p. 38.