184 Transactions. — Zoology. 



accumulation of mould increases more rapidly in our climate 

 than in countries where the winters are long and severe. 



The habits of our earth-worms kept in pots differ also from 

 the Biitish species, and are the same highly sensitive animals. 

 If the jiots are placed in the open air, they plug the mouths of 

 the burrows with castings, but never plug them or line the 

 burrows with leaves or other materials. They consume fresh or 

 tainted meat ; they especially relish the small soft leaves of the 

 common chickweed [Stellaria media). As many as four and five 

 are often drawn into one burrow in a single night. They nibble 

 at almost every variety of mixed fruits or vegetables placed on 

 the pots, and swallow quantities of pounded glass, brick, oyster- 

 shells, and small stones, to aid in the trituration of their food. 

 They are greatly benefited by a change of fresh moxxld occa- 

 sionally, and burrow vigorously through it for days after, as if 

 searching for the more nutritious particles it contains. When 

 worms are kept in a limited quantity of mould they become 

 weak and sluggish in their habits. If experiments are tried 

 with worms in penetrating hard compressed soil, or sand, speci- 

 mens of the same species fresh from the pasture will penetrate 

 it much quicker than those which have been previously kept in 

 confinement. When the mould in pots is pressed down hard, 

 the worms construct the most perfect semicircular and branching 

 burrows, and line them perfectly with viscid castings. The best 

 results are obtained by putting one worm in each pot, according 

 to the size of the animal, but the larger the pot the better, if 

 obtainable. 



The following is some account of six species, the other two 

 recorded species {Mecjahsolex antarctica and M. Uneat'us,) I have 

 had no experience with : — 



Acanthodrihis (?) uliginosus. 

 LumhricuK uliginosus, Hutton, "Trans. N.Z. Inst.," vol. ix., p. 351. 



Acanthodrilus (?) uliginosus, Hutton, " N.Z. Journ. of Science," vol. i., 

 p. 58G. 



Professor Hutton gives this species as 9 inches in length. 

 This is about the average size, although it attains the length of 

 12 inches. It appears to be distributed over the whole length 

 of the islands, as Mr. Urquhart mentions it occurring in the 

 Auckland District ; and I hear from a correspondent that it is 

 plentiful at Eiverton, in Southland. In some districts, in suit- 

 able soils, it is exceedingly abundant. It attains its greatest 

 bize on low-lying, moist flats, or near the margin of sluggish 

 etrcams, where it is not much disturbed by the plough. It is 

 sparingly found in poor and stony soils, but does nut thrive so 

 well as or attain the size of those living where the land is richer 

 and moit-t. It is a more active species than its larger congener, 

 and du)iug dark damp nights in f-priug «ud summer they leave 



