80 EARTHWORMS AND THEIR ALLIES [ch. 



sub-family Acanthodrilinae is totally unrepresented. 

 The large sub-family Megascolecinae has very numer- 

 ous representatives. Of the genus Megascolex itself 

 there are some 30 species, of which, however, two or 

 three are looked upon as varieties. Of the allied 

 genus Notoscolex there are ten species and of Peri- 

 onyx about 13. The genera Megascolides, Diporo- 

 chaeta, Spencerietta and Woodwardia have only six 

 species between them of which three belong to Mega- 

 scolides. Plutellus has five species in this region. 

 Lamjnto, which is a widely spread form with but one 

 species L. mauritii, may or may not find here its 

 original home. It also occurs in Africa and Mada- 

 gascar. Pheretima is represented by no less than 

 12 species, of which at any rate the very great 

 majority are peregrine forms, and not to be safely 

 regarded as forming an integral part of the fauna 

 of the Indian peninsula and adjoining countries. 



Of the sub-family Octochaetinae the type genus 

 Octochaetus has ten species in this region and Euty- 

 plioeus, which is restricted to the region, has 15 

 species or perhaps rather more. Hoplochaetella has 

 but one. Of the Trigastrinae there are four or five 

 examples of the genus DicJiogaster which occur 

 within the region now under consideration ; but it 

 is doubtful whether they are truly indigenous. On 

 the other hand Eudlchogaster, closely allied both to 

 Dichogaster and Trigaster, seems to be confined to 



