forthereliesananimalasfoulandmonstroustotheeyeas\"hydra，gorgon，orchimaeradire，\"andyetsowondrouslyfittedtoitswork，thatwemustneedsendureforourowninstructiontohandleandtolookatit。Itsname，ifyouwishforit，isNemertes;probablyN。Borlasii;（18）awormofvery\"low\"
organization，thoughwellfittedenoughforitsownwork。Youseeit？Thatblack，shiny，knottedlumpamongthegravel，smallenoughtobetakenupinadessertspoon。Looknow，asitisraisedanditscoilsdrawnout。Threefeet—six—nine，atleast：withacapabilityofseeminglyendlessexpansion;aslimytapeoflivingcaoutchouc，someeighthofaninchindiameter，adarkchocolate—
black，withpalerlongitudinallines。Isitalive？Ithangs，helplessandmotionless，amerevelvetstringacrossthehand。AsktheneighbouringAnnelidsandthefryoftherockfishes，orputitintoavaseathome，andsee。Itliesmotionless，trailingitselfamongthegravel;youcannottellwhereitbeginsorends;itmaybeadeadstripofsea—weed，Himanthalialorea，perhaps，orChordafilum;orevenatarredstring。Sothinksthelittlefishwhoplaysoverandoverit，tillhetouchesatlastwhatistoosurelyahead。Inaninstantabell—shapedsuckermouthhasfastenedtohisside。Inanotherinstant，fromonelip，aconcavedoubleproboscis，justlikeatapir’s（anotherinstanceoftherepetitionofforms），hasclaspedhimlikeafinger;andnowbeginsthestruggle：butinvain。Heisbeing\"played\"withsuchafishing—
lineastheskillofaWilsonoraStoddartnevercouldinvent;alivingline，withelasticitybeyondthatofthemostdelicatefly—
rod，whichfollowseverylunge，shorteningandlengthening，slippingandtwiningroundeverypieceofgravelandstemofsea—