112 Transactions. — Zoology. 



masterly style by the same able author. As the journals in 

 which Beddard's papers are published are expensive, and, for 

 the most part, inaccessible to general readers in New Zealand, 

 I propose to give an abstract of each paper, embodying the 

 principal anatomical details of each species, and to record some 

 further observations on the habits of both native and intro- 

 duced terrestrial and aquatic forms. 



Since the publication of Darwin's famous treatise on the 

 formation of vegetable mould by earthworms, the habits of 

 this much-neglected group are now receiving the attention of 

 younger naturalists in other countries, and already the litera- 

 ture of the subject is considerable. The breeding habits of 

 worms have not, however, received much attention, and any 

 accurate notes on them made during the breeding-season will 

 be acceptable to naturalists. "When living at Lake Brunner, in 

 1887-88, I devoted considerable time to the habits of worms 

 living in the primeval forest, and since then I have had oppor- 

 tunities of studying them for a year in Victoria, and latterly at 

 Ashburton, New Zealand. The cocoons of earthworms, their 

 time of deposition, and the development of the embryos have 

 interested me much for many years. In recording the facts 

 ascertained by the careful study of worms, I may say that I 

 do so in the hope of stimulating others to the study of these 

 highly beneficial and interesting animals. It may be added 

 that there is every possibility of many new species still remain- 

 ing to be added to the list, the discovery of which is always a 

 pleasure. In remote, humid islands like those of New Zealand, 

 which have been long separated from any extensive land area, 

 the conditions are more favourable for the preservation of old 

 ancestral forms. We fully realise this f/^et in many endemic 

 species among the higher groups of animals, and it appears to 

 be further realised in earthworms, as a New Zealand species 

 (Deiiwclrilus bcnhami) forms the basis of Beddard's genea- 

 logical tree of Acantliodrili. The genus Acanthodrilus is 

 largely represented in New Zealand ; and, of the twenty-seven 

 recorded species, seven are from New Zealand. Mr. Beddard 

 has, in addition to these, two or three new species as yet 

 undescribed, and doubtless many more remain to be discovered. 

 The genus Pcrichceta will, I believe, also prove to be well 

 represented in the number of species, as the natural conditions 

 are very favourable to their habits. The three endemic species 

 of aquatic Oligochceta described by Beddard represent separate 

 genera, and they are sufficiently interesting to students of the 

 group. A number of introduced terrestrial and aquatic species 

 occur in many districts in New Zealand : these will presently 

 be noticed separately. 



In his remarks on the habits of earthworms, and the occur- 

 rence of their castings in forests, Darwin stated that, "In 



