NOTES ON AUSTRALIAN EARTHWORMS. Part III. 



By J. J. Fletcher, M.A., B.Sc. 



Since my last paper appeared I have been able to see the papers 

 of H. Ude (1) and Dr. Rosa (2). The former mentions (pp. 133 

 and 134) his having received from Sydney, N.S.W., specimens of 

 Allolohojihora fcetida Sav., and A. turgida Eisen. (3) The latter 

 points out that the species which, for lack of opportunity of con- 

 sulting any of the papers in which it has been described, I at first 

 supposed was the Lumbricus Novce-Hollandice of Kinberg, and 

 which, subsequently finding this not to be the case, from its wide 

 distribution in this colony I supposed was indigenous, and referred 

 to it in ray second paper as A. australiensis n. sp., is the same as 

 one of these mentioned above by Ude, namely the European species 

 A. turgida, Eisen. Therefore, if we except Kinberg's doubtful 

 species, no indigenous anteclitellian worms are known as yet from 

 Australia, the three species of such worms which have already 

 become established in various parts having been introduced. Of 

 these, A. turgida is spreading with extraordinaiy rapidity and has 

 completely outstripped the other two. Indeed taking into account 

 its feebler powers of locomotion, and that it was not intentionally 

 introduced, the rapid distribution of this worm is as remarkable as 

 that of any of our interlopers. In this colony I have examples of this 

 worm from almost every locality from which I have obtained or 

 received earthworms, with the exception of a few favoured spots 



(1) " Ueber die Riickenporen der Terricolen Oligochaeten," in Zeitschrift 

 fiir wiss. Zool. Band XLiii, 1885, p. 87. 



(2) "I Lumbricidi Anteclitelliani in Australia," in Bol. dei Musei di 

 Zool. &c. R. Universita di Torino, Vol. i, No. 18. 



(3) Incorrectly referred to as Allohophora in my two previous papers. 



