. Animate creation : popular edition of "Our living world" : a natural history. Zoology; Zoology. 534 THE COMMON Another species, the Porcupine Sea-moitse, is easily distinguished from the preceding creature by the peculiar structure of the back, which is devoid of the felt-like substance, and the scales are consequently bare. On account of the singular structure of the Ch^topterus, it has been placed in a family by itself, of which it constitutes the sole genus. This remarkable worm is one of the tube- builders, and makes a dwelling of a tough parch- ment-like consisten
. Animate creation : popular edition of "Our living world" : a natural history. Zoology; Zoology. 534 THE COMMON Another species, the Porcupine Sea-moitse, is easily distinguished from the preceding creature by the peculiar structure of the back, which is devoid of the felt-like substance, and the scales are consequently bare. On account of the singular structure of the Ch^topterus, it has been placed in a family by itself, of which it constitutes the sole genus. This remarkable worm is one of the tube- builders, and makes a dwelling of a tough parch- ment-like consistency, measuilug eight or ten inches in length. It is found in the seas about the Antilles. As may be seen by reference to the engraving, in this curious being there is no distinct head, and no vestige of maxilla?, but the proboscis is furnished with a lip, to which are attached two small tentacles. "Then comes a disc with nine jiairs of feet, then a pair of long silky bundles, like two wings. The gills, in the form of lamina?, are attached rather below than above, and pie- dominate along the middle of the ; In the illustration the animal is represented in its natural size. The next family, of which the common Earth- worm is a very familiar example, is distinguished by the ringed body without any gills or feet, but with bristles arranged upon the rings for the purpose of progression. In the well-known Earth-worm, the bristles are short and very stiff, and are eight in number on each ring, two pairs being placed on each side ; so that, in fact, there are eight longitudinal rows of bristles on the l)ody, four on the sides, and four below, wliich enal)le tlie creature to take a firm hold of the ground as it proceeds. Except that the worm makes use of bristles, and the snake of the edges of its scales, the mode of progress is much the same in both cases. The whole body of the creature is very elastic, and capable of being extended or contracted to a won derful degree. &
Size: 1729px × 1445px
Photo credit: © Library Book Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookauthorbr, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectzoology
