vi] PEREGRINE FORMS 97 



the tropics. With this range may be contrasted that 

 of another genus of the same family (Geoscolecidae), 

 viz. Kynotus, which, though consisting of many species, 

 is not found outside of the Madagascar district. It 

 should be added that Pontoscolex does not appear 

 to contain more than two species, the one not men- 

 tioned in the above survey of its distribution being 

 P. insignis of Kinberg, which is apparently the same 

 as P. liljeborgi of Eisen, and is limited to certain 

 parts of America. 



Before attempting to grapple with the remarkable 

 facts implied by the distribution of this genus, it 

 will be well to survey the whole group of Oligochaeta 

 and to reduce to as short a space as possible the 

 total series of facts which are of the same nature. 



A case, even more striking than that of Ponto- 

 scolex, is afforded by the Eudrilid genus Eiidrilits. 

 As with Pontoscolex there are two species of this 

 genus, one, E. pallidus, being confined to West Africa, 

 the remaining one, E. eugeuiae, being world-wide in 

 range. This latter species has received the following 

 names, viz. E. decipiens, E. lacazli, E. peregrinus, 

 E. sylvicola, E. boyeri, E. jidlieni, E. erudiens, and 

 E. roseus; they appear to be all synonyms of the 

 name originally given by Kinberg who however did 

 not recognise the distinctness of the form as a genus. 

 It is now known as Eudrilus eugeuiae. The variety 

 of names given to supposed different forms (for two 



B. E. 7 



