Benham. — Oliaochceta from the Southern Islands. 287 



Macquarie Islands : — 



Notiodrilus macquariensis. 

 Enchytrceus aibidus. 

 Lumbricillus macquariensis. 



In the present paper I confine myself to detailing the cha- 

 racters of the new species, and will postpone a consideration of 

 the bearing that the facts of geographical distribution have in 

 regard to the previous extension of the New Zealand land surface. 

 I have so much new material waiting investigation that it is 

 desirable to gather together these facts in a general paper at a 

 later date. 



Dr. Michaelsen has recently* pointed out that Notiodrilus 

 kergudarum is to be found not only on dry land but also on the 

 sea-shore within reach of the sea-spray, in company with typic- 

 ally littoral Oligochaeta such as Enchytrceus aibidus — or, to use his 

 term, it is " euryhaline." It is worthy of note, therefore, that in 

 the collection made by Dr. Cockayne there is further evidence in 

 support of this statement, for in the bottle containing N. cam/p- 

 bellianus there are Enchytrceus aibidus, a few Polycheeta, and a 

 Nemertine. After reading Michaelsen's remarks I wrote to 

 Dr. Cockayne for further details as to the " stations " at which 

 these worms had been obtained, and he writes me that " all 

 the Campbell Island worms Avere collected near one another on 

 the stony shore of Perseverance Harbour, just above high- water 

 mark. I collected no other worms on Campbell Island. It is 

 possible that sea-spray may reach any place at which the Adam 

 Island worms were collected, but the soil cannot be termed 

 brackish in any degree. As for Ewing Island worms, these were 

 collected on or near the shore. On the other hand, the ' peat 

 bog ' in which the worms from Antipodes Island were collected 

 is quite out of the influence of the sea-spray." 



Notiodrilus aucklandicus. 



The single specimen from the Antipodes Island is, curiously 

 enough, truncated anteriorly, and has lost four anterior segments ; 

 this injury, however, is entirely healed up, but no new prostomium 

 has yet been formed, nor have the anterior segments been re- 

 generated, for the porophores, instead of being on segments 17 

 and 19, occur on the 13th and 15th. Granting this loss of four 

 segments, the organs occupy the normal position. 



The colour differs somewhat from the type in being yellowish 

 instead of grey posterior to the clitellum. This is not due to the 

 preservative, for formaline was used in both cases, but is due to 

 colour of intestinal contents. 



* "Die Geograph. Verbreit. d. Oligochseten, 1903. 



