70 The Irish Naturalist. [ March, 



"A. veneta, Rosa, Boll. Mus. Zool. l^rino, 1886, No. 3. 



''A. siibrnbiciinda^ forma hortcnsis^ Michaelseii, /. B, HamO. IViss. AusL, 

 vii., 1890, p. 15. 



"'A. {Notogaind) veneta, Rosa, Boll. Mus. Zool. Torino, 1893, No. 160, p. 2. 



-'A. hibernica, Friend, P. R. Irish Acad., 1893, p- 402. 



" Definition. Length, 70 mm. ; breadth, 5 mm. ; number of segments, 

 153; clitellum, xxvi., xxvii.-xxxii.. xxxiii. Set^e paired, but not strictly, 

 the setee of ventral pair more separated than those of dorsal pairs. 

 Tubercula pubertatis on xxx., xxxi. Spermathecae, two pairs in ix., x., 

 opening posteriorly. Habitat — Venice; Argentina; Portugal; Palestine. 



"This species comes very near to A. fietida, with which it agrees 

 absolutely in colour. It is to be distinguished by the position of the 

 tubercula pubertatis. The spermathecae open close to the dorsal middle 

 line, as in the species mentioned. The Portuguese specimens form a 

 variety which is marked by its smaller size, and by the more strictly 

 paired setae. This same variety is found in Liguria and in the Argentine 

 (whither it has been probably accidentally imported). It is not certain 

 w^hether A. subtnontana of Vejdovsky is reall}' different. The clitellum 

 seems to have a different position {i-e., xxiv.-xxxiii. ), but the structure 

 of the worm is not fully known," 



It will be observed that no allusion is made to its Irish 

 habitat. Is this a pure oversight, or did. the author not wish 

 to commit himself to an opinion respecting its indigenous or 

 imported character ? ^ I must point out that whatever may be 

 said of Rosa's original specimens, those which he sent to me 

 in spirits, and those which I received alive from Ireland, bore 

 no colour-resemblance to A. fcetida whatever, so that the strong 

 affirmation of Beddard is misleading. 



Turning now to Alluriis, we find otirselves on debateable 

 ground, owing to the fact that the different species which 

 have at variotis times been recorded are insufficiently described 

 and figured. After discussing the views of Michaelsen and 



Rosa the author adds (p. 696) : — 



'•' Friend has added three other species, viz., A. ietragonurtis, A. flavus, 

 and A. inacrurus. Pending further information, A. niacriirtts seems to be 

 a valid species, on account of the very forward position of the clitellum 

 (xv.-xxii.). A. tetragon lints is probabl}^, as Rosa thinks, merely a form 

 of Tetragonuriis pnpa^'' 



The difficulty arises from the fact that both A. macrurus 

 and A. tetragonurits are based upon solitary specimens. I 

 have not the least doubt about the genuineness of^. macrurus ; 



1 In studying the " Monograph " more carefully I find that, by an 

 unfortunate oversight, Beddard has not been made aware of Ihe pub- 

 lication of my researches in the Irish Naturalist. Hence the absence of 

 all allusion to Irish worms not recorded in the Proc, R.I A. 



