I9I2. Friend. — Irish Oligochaets. 171 



IRISH OLIGOCHAETS, 



BY REV. HILDERIC FRIEND, F.L.S., F.R.M.S. 



In a small quantity of earth attached to the roots of 

 a plant, I have found no fewer than eight species of anneHds. 

 The soil, amounting to a couple of ounces in weight, came 

 from Acton Glebe, Poyntzpass,, through the kindness of 

 the Rev. W. F. Johnson, and I am writing this account 

 of the worms contained therein in the hope that other 

 contributors will send material with a view to the ex- 

 tension of our knowledge of this subject. In another 

 paper will be found further notes respecting this same 

 sample, and I therefore content myself here with a des- 

 cription of the Oligochaets. There were four Lumbri- 

 cidae or earthworms, and four Enchytraeidae or white 

 worms, one of the latter being apparently new to science. 



1. Aporrectodea chlorotica, Savigny. 

 Is usually known as the Green Worm on account of its colour. It 

 is one of the most sluggish of annelids, and frequently assumes the 

 appearance of a curled-up grub or larva. It is very widely distributed, 

 and has been more than once accused of destroying living plants. 



2. Allolobophora caliginosa, Sav. 

 Is a worm which assumes two forms, known as turgida and trnpezoides, 

 but as the specimen was not adult I am unable to say to which of these 

 forms it belonged. This species may be injurious. 



3. Dendrobaena subrubicunda, Eisen. 



Is by some authorities identified with the ruhida of Savigny, but it is 

 better known in England by the name of Gilt-tail, on account of its yellow 

 caudal extremity. It is usually associated with leaf-moul 1, and in all 

 probability is always above suspicion. I have never had the least evi- 

 dence that it preys on living tissues, though it revels in decaying vegetable 

 matter. 



4. Lumbricus rubellus, Hoffmeister. 



Is the Red Worm. It is only half the size of the True Earthworm and 

 its rival the I-ong Worm {Allolobophora longa Ude), and is usually re- 

 garded as a friend of the gardener and agriculturalist. 



These earthworms average about 3 — 4 inches in length, 

 and are easily identified by their colour, habit, number of 

 segments, position of girdle and tubercula, and the shape 

 of the head or prostomium. 



The Enchytraeids, on the contrary, always require the 

 microscope for their diagnosis and identification. They 



