BY J. J. FLETCHER, t GOT 



^ 



The segmental organs are minute tnfts of glandular tubules 

 distributed over the walls of the body-cavity, a hundred or so to a 



segment. 



ffab. — Warragul, Gippsland, Victoria. 



For the opportunity of describing this and the other three 

 Yictorian species I have to thank my friend and late colleague 

 INIr. H. T. Baker of Newington College, who made a special visit 

 to Gippsland in order to obtain material for me. 



From Jlegascolides australis, a species described by Professor 

 McCoy*, from the same district, and comprising individuals 

 quite as large as those of Notoscolex Gippslandicus, the latter 

 difters in the following, among other particulars : — the clitellum 

 is complete all round and is situated more anteriorly ; the setae 

 of the ventral pairs are not closer together than those of the outer 

 pairs, and are of the ordinary character, not tapering throughout 

 towards the free tip as in McCoy's figure ; the dorsal pores 

 commence after about segment xix, that is to say considerably in 

 advance of segment XL. 



I have heard from residents of Gippsland that these large 

 worms were able to produce sounds, and Mr. Baker, whose 

 attention I directed to this matter, tells me that in passing over 

 the sround where these worms occur one does hear noises, which 

 he considers may perhaps be due to friction of their bodies against 

 the sides of the burrows, or to the sudden and forcible ejection 

 of tluid from the dorsal pores, perhaps also to the suction of the 

 air caused by a piston-like movement of their bodies, when the 

 worms are disturbed by the vibration of the ground. 



Notoscolex Tasmanianus, n. sp. 



A living specimen held up by the tail 1ft. 10|in. (57'2 cm.) 

 long; the same specimen crawling on the table 19in. long 

 (48 -.3 cm.) by about 12 mm. average breadth; after being killed 

 with chloroform 24-5 cm. long, breadth from 12-21 mm. Very 



* Prodromus of the Zoology of Victoria, Dec. I, (1878), p. 21, pi. 7. 

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