360 NOTES ON AUSTRALIAN LAND-PLANARIANS, 



Nat. p. 27). We have frequently noticed specimens in various 

 stages of constriction, and after the division had taken place. 



The volume of the Journal containing Mr. Moseley's paper is, 

 at the present time, wanting in most of the scientific libraries 

 in Sydney accessible to students, and quite beyond the reach of 

 any one in the bush. We, ourselves, have found it a serious 

 inconvenience to have to journey to the Public Library to consult 

 it, instead of having it always at hand for reference. In what 

 follows, therefore, we have included the descriptions of Mr. 

 Darwin and Professor Moseley, partly for the sake of making the 

 list complete, but chiefly because we hope to enlist the co-operation 

 of some of our country members in collecting and observing these 

 interesting animals, as the species are readily determinable from 

 the descriptions. Such large tracts of country have now been, 

 and are being yearly cleared and burnt over, a procedure which 

 means extermination to animals of feeble locomotive powers, like 

 planarians, that unless residents in the country help in this matter 

 it is almost certain that some of the more local species will never 

 otherwise be rescued from oblivion. Insects, land mollusca, and 

 other terrestrial invertebrates have been collected from very early 

 times in the history of the colony, and before whole districts had 

 been more or less completely modified by the clearing of the land, 

 and the wholesale destruction of the timber ; but this is not the 

 case with planarians. The northern coastal river districts of this 

 colony especially will probably yield a very rich harvest to any 

 one in a position to search for them systematically. We shall be 

 glad therefore to receive any information on the subject, or 

 specimens sent alive by post, or put while alive into good methy- 

 lated spirit (1). 



(1) In sending living plancarians by post, as we find by experience can be 

 done, the best plan is to put them in a small (not too small however) tin 

 box with a geranium leaf and a small piece of damp cotton-wool or moss, 

 fixed under the leaf so as not to shake about. A piece of paper should be 

 pasted round the edge of the lid, otherwise, as they can flatten themselves 

 in an astonishing manner, the planarians are apt to escape. 



