Dr. F. Miiller on Lumbricus corethrurus. 13 



Enclosed in the oesophagus of the animal I found a morsel of 

 food, consisting of the grinding -plate and jaws of a snail with 

 adherent muscular parts. This observation, like the statements 

 of F. Miiller as to the war of destruction waged by Geoplana 

 suhterranea against the Earth-worms, is opposed to Darwin's 

 supposition that the terrestrial Planaria only feed upon vege- 

 table food, and indeed upon rotten wood, on which they are 

 principally found. Darwin certainly kept some specimens in con- 

 finement for 21 days, without giving them any other nourish- 

 ment than rotten wood, and during this period the animals grew 

 considerably. Nevertheless this observation could not be decisive, 

 as the contents of the intestine were not examined. The in- 

 testine of my specimen did not contain a single vegetable cell. 



Of the nervous system nothing could be ascertained by pre- 

 paration ; and of the sexual organs I have only to mention the 

 seminal vesicle, and the penis, which may be easily isolated at 

 the genital orifice in the form of a globular body of |^ a line in 

 diameter. The seminal vesicle contained no spermatozoids. 

 The true form of these contractile organs, which are composed 

 of very fine muscular fibres, can only be ascertained by the exa- 

 mination of fresh specimens. The same applies to the sexual 

 glands, the water-vascular system, &c. But for the purpose of 

 subsequent histological investigation, a solution of 1-2 grains 

 of bichromate of potash in the ounce of water will always be far 

 preferable to spirits for the preservation of these extremely 

 delicate animals, and I warmly recommend this solution to all 

 collectors. 



II. — Description of a new species of Earth-worm (Lumbricus 

 corethrurus). By Dr. F. Muller *. 



Lumbricus corethrurus^ Brush-tail, the commonest of the 

 Earth-worms of this country (Brazil), and which may be found 

 in almost every clod of arable land, is rather slender, soft, and 

 readily torn ; the skin is nearly colourless, translucent, so that 

 the colour of the body is principally caused by the intestine and 

 blood-vessels, and therefore it appears more reddish towards the 

 anterior extremity, grey in the middle, and pale reddish-white 

 posteriorly. The measurement of nine animals all bearing clitelli 

 (and killed in spirit of wine, because the length is constantly 

 varying during life) gave on the average 28'" in length, of which 

 the clitellus measured 3'", and the space in front of it 4'". The 

 body is cylindrical, attenuated anteriorly from the clitellus, and of 



* This description is given by Schultze, and is referred to in the pre- 

 ceding paper, at p. 6. 



