immediately behind, and, from the rapid narrowing of the region, are thus nearer each
other. In an example of medium size from Bressay Sound in July the eyes were larger
than usual, and those of each side in contact. The lenses were also larger. The
reproductive elements did not appear to be much developed. Sir J. Dalyell mentions
that a large one, also from Shetland, had apparently only two eyes, but it is possible
they were confluent. In life the head is pinkish, and in the preparations iridescent.
In the majority the head is prettily mapped out by a pale median belt running forward
to the tentacle. The prominent lateral regions on which the eyes are situated are pale;
while in front are two pinkish or brownish-pink smoothly rounded areas—indicating
the brain. The median tentacle is somewhat long and tapering, with a filiform tip. In
spirit it is slightly enlarged below the latter. The surface is quite smooth. The lateral
tentacles, the bases of which are lower than the median, are remarkable for their length,
being only a little shorter than the median,1 and this is confirmatory of the nomenclature
adopted in the group. They are tinted brownish. The tentacular cirri agree with the
median tentacle in structure and length. The palpi are of moderate length, brownish,
tapering, and quite smooth.
Body upwards of 2 inches, sometimes inches in length, slightly tapered in
front and much more distinctly tapered posteriorly; rounded dorsally and flattened
ventrally. The dorsum is somewhat regularly banded across with greyish or greyish-
brown granular belts, and occasionally touches of white occur in the middle line of the
coloured belts. These alternate with a pale belt between the pedicles of the scales.
Between each pale belt there is thus a central band bordered withrpale lines—extending
between the papillae on the cirrigerous foot, and a belt in front and behind, each of
which extends to the neighbouring segment. The segment-junction is, therefore, in the
middle of each band. No pale band occurs opposite the first pair of pedicles, but the
second and third, as well as the succeeding, have them. In some the pale belts are
more or less invaded by pigment. The caudal region behind the scales is continuously
grey. In front the nuchal collar forms a free flap, which is sometimes bifid and crenate,
but it is not papillose. The under surface is pale or slightly yellowish and iridescent.
The proboscis in many tints, the anterior region to about the sixth foot, the rest being
iridescent bluish with a red line in the centre. The segmental eminence is distinct,
and the papilla is evident at the fifth bristled foot, and continues to the posterior end
of the body. I t is longest and largest about the beginning of the posterior third.
The proboscis and digestive system differ from that of the previous genera in having
a muscular fold at each side in extrusion immediately below the angle, and divisible into
two halves, so that a doubly papillose aspect is given in certain views. Moreover all the
papillae at the tip of the extruded organ are more or less lobed. The six central are
large, and when viewed from the exterior do not differ very much from the ordinary
forms, except that they are more slender. On their inner aspect, however, they send off a
frill sloping towards the aperture. The succeeding eight on each side form a diminishing
series with frilled and lobed ends. The total number of papillae is thus twenty-two.
Each of the upper sharp horny jaws bites to the left of the corresponding ventral in
1 Kinberg states that the antennas are only about half the length of the palpi, and that the scales
are rugose.
extrusion. Both are sharply ridged. A comparatively large number of the preparations,
including those from the stomachs of fishes, have the proboscis extruded.
Only two gastric caeca, proportionally short and wide, pass forwards into the peripharyngeal
space. They are glandular throughout. The tip seems to end in a series of
diverging fibrous processes which fix it in the dorso-lateral space. The glandular lining
of the stomach is arranged in a series of trumpet-like processes projecting inwards.
The alimentary canal is generally empty, but in some it contains muddy débris with
spicules of sponges and other organic materials, together with the skin, bristles, and
hooks of Terebellæ. De St.-Joseph says that it feeds on minute crustaceans. Sir J.
Dalyell gave a graphic account of its rapacious habits.
The scales (Plate XXXIII, fig. 12) are eighteen pairs, large—but do not quite cover
the dorsum, have a translucent greyish or slightly purplish aspect, or translucent
brownish anteriorly, and dull bluish or greyish posteriorly. A pale spot in each marks
the scar for attachment. In some of the anterior scales a few dark specks occur along
the posterior border. They are soft and more or less irregularly rounded, the first pair
having a marked fold at their outer and anterior border. They are devoid of cilia at
the margin, and present a minutely cellular aspect by transmitted light. Moreover
along the inner and anterior border the surface is densely studded with minute papillæ,
which are short and broad—generally with a trifid end, two stronger spines laterally,
and a smaller and more acute median, as Langerhans pointed out. They extend over a
considerable surface of ‘the region indicated. Most of the scales have frills or folds on
their outer margin. The finely branched nerves radiate from the scar, of attachment
throughout the entire scale. They are highly sensitive, so much so that when irritated
the annelid will sometimes turn on its back to avoid interference. The scales are fixed
to the following bristled feet : 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, and so on to 22, 25, 28, 31, 34, 37, and 38.
A curious solid rounded body of minute size occurred in the substance of one scale.
Its contents were granular. In some also • minute opaque white specks were present
behind the scar.
Feet.—The first foot has a spine, the tip of which projects beyond the region in a
sheath of cuticle and granular epiderm. No trace of a bristle was present in any
specimen examined, and in this it agrees with Malmgrenia.
In the second foot the dorsal division is marked chiefly by the tip of the spine,
which projects a short distance from the dorsum of the long ventral division. Behind
the spine is a small tuft of straight, slender, tapering bristles—finely spinous. The
combined lobe is comparatively long, nearly cylindrical, and ends in a long conical
process for the spine. The ventral bristles are short and slender, extending beyond the
conical process at the tip of the foot. They are slightly enlarged at the commencement
of the spinous region, and then taper to a hair-like extremity. Their tips, which have a
dorsal curve, diminish in length from above downward. The ventral cirrus of this foot
extends as far as the tips of the bristles.
In the third foot the dorsal division is marked only by the projèction of the long
process enclosing the tip of the spine, and a tuft of similar bristles to those in the
previous foot, only the tips are less acute. The ventral division is proportionally
shorter and thicker, and the upper border of the process for the spine is now continuous