132 Transactions. — Zoology. 



by trabecular. I have noticed in this part masses of ovarian 

 tissue containing germinal cells and eggs in all stages of de- 

 velopment." 



Family PHREORYCTID^. 



Genus Phbeoeyctes, Hoffmeister. 



Phreoryctes smithii, Beddard. Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin., 

 vol. xxxv., Part 11 (No. 16). 



This species was discovered in 1887 in a forest pool near 

 Lake Brunner, and since then I have found it plentiful in 

 an old swamp on the south bank of the Ashburton River. It 

 inhabits the edges of swamps, frequenting the macerating 

 vegetation, in which the worms frequently coil together into 

 masses. During July and through the spring months they 

 penetrate into the soft clay and mud, and deposit their cocoons. 

 I find the latter more numerous in October and November, 

 and by the month of February the young worms have nearly 

 all emerged. For some time after leaving the cocoons they 

 are extremely minute and delicate, and move slowly through 

 the wet clay and decaying vegetation. The habits of the 

 adults are very sluggish, and their bodies are capable of great 

 distension. Their average measurement is Sin. to lOin. in 

 length, and they can with impunity be stretched to thrice 

 their natural length. Their cocoons are minute pear-shaped 

 yellowish-coloured bodies, and are of a tough leathery texture, 

 and are not difficult to find in the wet clay, or among the 

 masses of fine roots near the edge of the swamp. They are 

 interesting objects under the microscope, and amply repay a 

 patient examination. A number of these have been sent to 

 Mr. Beddard to enable him to study the embryology of the 

 species. The anatomical descriptions of this and the two 

 following aquatic Oligochceta are abstracted from Beddard's 

 superbly - illustrated papers, extending over forty pages of 

 the Transactions containing them. The following is the 

 anatomical structure of Phreoryctes smithii, as given by the 

 distinguished anatomist : — 



" External Characters. — The large size of this species, both 

 as regards length and breadth, appears to distinguish it from 

 P. menkeanus and P. filiformis. It is true that the .former 

 species has been found to grow longer, but its thickness is in- 

 considerable. P. smithii can at once be distinguished from 

 these two species by the arrangement and number of the setae. 

 They commence, as in all Oligocholia, on the second segment, 

 and are disposed in four longitudinal rows ; but there are 

 invariably two closely-approximated setar in both the dorsal 

 and ventral rows. The second seta does not in any way sug- 

 gest the idea of its being a ' reserve seta ' ; indeed, in several 



