BY J. J. FLETCHER. 603' 



cc 



testes," therefore, should now in all probability be regarded as 

 vesiculfe serainales. Their usually racemose character, their situa- 

 tion and remoteness from the ciliated rosettes, together with the 

 fact that when the worms are sexually active the segments con- 

 taining the ciliated rosettes are crammed with spermatozoa, have 

 previously helped to leave me in doul)t as to their real nature, and 

 to overlook the true testes. 



I have to thank the gentlemen already named for their kindness 

 and trouble, and also Mr. Hugh Copeland, Junr., who lent Mr. 

 Baker a helping hand. 



NOTOSCOLEX GiPPSLANDICUS, n. Sp. 



A young (spirit) specimen is 37 cm. long, 13 mm. broad ; a large 

 but very soft adult specimen is 4 feet 1 inch (1-23 metre) long and 

 17 mm. broad ; number of segments about 500.* 



Prostomium broad, depressed, marked anteriorly and inferiorly 

 with about seven somewhat irregular grooves, not dividing the 

 buccal ring but looking like a forward projection of its superior 

 region. The buccal ring all round divided right across by a 

 number of longitudinal grooves, giving it a ribbed appearance ; 

 divided into two annuli, the anterior annulus again subdivided in 

 the dorsal region by two shallow transverse grooves just behind the 

 prostomium. Body cylindrical ; superiorly especially anteriorly 

 of a darker colour ; clitellum still darker (purplish). 



* These large worms are so brittle that it is difficult to extract whole 

 specimens from their burrows ; hence the above-mentioned two are my only 

 complete specimens. The following are the measurements of other incom- 

 plete examples : — 



No. of segments. Length. Breadth. 



(a) Fragment (very soft) 460 3ft. 



{])) Complete all butpreclitellar segments 



(very soft) 468 3ft. 9in. 



(c) Young specimen, nearly complete... 402 11 in. 



(d) Fragment of a large specimen 335 43-2 cm. (17 in.) 22 mm, 



(e) „ „ ,, „ 451 63-5 cm. (25 in.) 22 mm. 



(f) Young specimen, nearly complete ... 490 36-2 cm. 13 mm. 

 Hence it would appear that very large individuals are from 2-3ft. long 



when contracted, and, probably, from 4-6ft. long when living and extended. 



