. Elements of zoölogy. Zoology. MARINE WORMS. 49 Marine Worms.—A common form on the sea-shore is Nereis (Fig. 52) ; the body is composed of from one to two hundred joints, each of which bears a pair of paddles ; upon the head are four eyes, while the mouth is armed with a powerful proboscis and two large cimeter-like Fig. 52.—Sea-worm {Nereis). They live in holes in the sand, lined with a fluid secretion. They multiply by eggs. The Cirratulus also lives in a tube. In the South some of these forms arrange a leaf of sea- weed in the structure so that it falls over the mouth, form- ing a
. Elements of zoölogy. Zoology. MARINE WORMS. 49 Marine Worms.—A common form on the sea-shore is Nereis (Fig. 52) ; the body is composed of from one to two hundred joints, each of which bears a pair of paddles ; upon the head are four eyes, while the mouth is armed with a powerful proboscis and two large cimeter-like Fig. 52.—Sea-worm {Nereis). They live in holes in the sand, lined with a fluid secretion. They multiply by eggs. The Cirratulus also lives in a tube. In the South some of these forms arrange a leaf of sea- weed in the structure so that it falls over the mouth, form- ing a door, and giving the entire tube the appearance of sea-weed. The Serpulce (Fig. 53), that build stony houses, have radiating coronets, dashed with rich coloring, for breathing organs. The Pectinaria bears upon its head a pair of combs of burnished gold, while with very few exceptions all the worms are luminous — green, blue, white, and yellow lights marking their movements under the sea. been estimated that they average about 100,000 to the acre. In New Zealand 348,480 have been found in an acre of rich ground ; so it will be seen that the upper crust is continually being eaten and ejected by them, their myriads of holes conveying water to the interior as well as air. The worms also drag vast masses of leaves under ground, that enrich the soil. They cover up seeds, undermine rocks, burying them up, and to their work is due the preservation of many ruins and ancient works of art. Some of their casts found in India are over a foot in length. In England, numbers of ancient Roman villas have been discovered beneath the ground, their entombment, accord- ing to Darwin, undoubtedly caused by the worms that undermined them and deposited their casts upon the floors, until finally, aided by other causes, they disappeared from sight. 3. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appeara
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1884
