174 Transactions. 



The young one consists of a rounded prostomium, followed by 6 chae- 

 tigerous segments, and a rounded anal segment, which is nearly as large 

 as the prostomium. 



The mouth lies between this and the 1st segment, which is not ventrally 

 perforated by it as in the adult. The 1st segment bears only the dorsal 

 bristles; the rest have the ventral hooks in addition. The dorsal chaetae, 

 as in the adult, are long capilliforms, 3-6 in a bundle ; the four ventral 

 hooks, which are precisely like those of the adult, are sunk in a pit, but 

 are capable of being protruded, as a slight pressure on these soft-bodied 

 young ones readily demonstrates. 



There are no gills, and the dorsal cirrus is at present represented by 

 only a small spherical bladder-like structure just behind the ventral limit 

 of the dorsal bundle of bristles. 



It may be noted that Baird records that amongst his specimens several 

 had " attached to their under-surface animals which are doubtless parasitic 

 on them." It seems, however, to be likely that he had before him the 

 young ones. 



It is perhaps remarkable that all those Hipponoe gaudichaudi that have 

 been examined microscopically have proved to be females. I found that to 

 be the case ; Mcintosh and Moore both described their specimens as being 

 distended with eggs. It seems, then, that the male is yet to be discovered, 

 and no doubt the worm would repay anatomical study if we could get well- 

 preserved material. 



Art. XXII. — Oligochaeta from the Kermadec Islands. 

 By W. B. Benham, D.Sc, F.K.S. 



[Read before the Otago Institute, 7th July, 1914.] 



The only species of earthworm hitherto recorded from the Kermadecs is 

 Rhododrilus kermadecensis, described by myself* in 1904, and this species 

 was founded on a single specimen collected by Captain Bollons. It was 

 therefore with feelings of interest that I received from Mr. Oliver a con- 

 siderable number of earthworms which I expected would afford further 

 material for determining the faunistic relations of the group of islands. 

 Some of the smaller worms appeared on a first inspection to agree in general 

 size and colour with Rhododrilus, and, owing to various calls on my time, 

 I set the tubes aside till I was at liberty to examine them thoroughly. 

 When, however, I came to investigate them it was with great disappoint- 

 ment that I found that all the earthworms belong to the family Luwbricidae, 

 characteristic of the Northern Hemisphere, and to species which have been 

 widely disseminated by human agency. This is the more surprising as 

 but little cultivation has been carried on, for the only inhabitants have 

 been Mr. Bell and his family. But while it is certain that these Lumbricids 

 have been introduced, the exact means by which this introduction has been 

 effected is not in all cases evident. It may be that the cocoons were amongst 

 seeds imported for grass or vegetables or other plants, or perhaps they were 

 in the material used for packing, or, if living plants have been imported into 

 the Kermadecs from New Zealand with a fair amount of soil at the roots, 



* Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 37, p. 298. 



