238 The Irish Naturalist. 



The WHiMBREiy was only once met with by me on the Shan- 

 non, near Banagher, on 3rd. June, 1892, but my visits to the 

 lakes were too late for it. In King's Co., Mr. Digby states 

 that it is "fairly common in early summer," and Mr. F. 

 Dunne, that it is ''common in May." In Queen's Co., Mrs. 

 Croasdaile says that it is a "spring migrant," and I^ord 

 Castletown, that it is a "spring visitor in May," while on 

 lyOUgh Derg, Mr. Parker records it in a similar way. Thus 

 it appears that the Whimbrel visits the central counties as well 

 as the sea-shores. 



BiTTKRNS. I am informed by lyord Clonbrock, that when he 

 was a youth, about 1820 to 1830, he used every season, 

 when grouse-shooting on his property, to meet with Bitterns, 

 usually in pairs, which used to annoy him by running before 

 the dogs a long distance before getting up. 



(to bk conci.ude:d.) 



THE EARTHWORMS OF IREI.AND. 



BY REV. HII^DBRIC FRIKND, F.I,.S. 



( Continued from page 220. ] 



3. A. (Dendrobaena) subrubicunda, Eisen. — A well-defined 

 species, and more widely distributed than any of the other dendrobaenic 

 forms. It often occurs by scores and hundreds in the midst of vegetable 

 debris on the banks of rivers and streams, and is easily recognized. It is 

 the largest, and in point of size, the most variable species of the group, 

 and is more frequently found away from trees than the others. 



Bisen described it in 1873 as a new species, but I am convinced that 

 this is the Lmnbriacs ptiter of Hoffmeister, and must be identical with many 

 of the worms which are now reckoned as synonymous with this. Bisen's 

 description is clear and full, so far as external characters are concerned, 

 and a slightly modified translation, to meet our methods of notation, will 

 exactly suit our indigenous species. 



Body cylindrical, somewhat depressed anteriorly and attenuated 

 posteriorly, flattened on the under surface. Prostomium large and 

 pallid, dividing the peristomium to about one-half its diameter. Girdle 

 large and conspicuous, of a dull grey colour, and usually covering six or 

 seven segments, 25, 26-31. On each side of the girdle ventrally, and 

 covering segments 28, 29, 30, is a band which constitutes the ttibermla 

 pubcriatis. Setse in distant couples, not close together as in Lwubriciis, or 

 slightly separated as in the Brandling. Total number of segments about 

 90 or 100, length averaging 90 millimetres. 



I may add that the colour is rosy red, with somewhat lighter under- 

 surface. Setae on pale glands, which arrangement makes them conspi- 

 cuous. Spermathecae opening in the line of the dorsal setae (Rosa). 



A tender delicate worm, well adapted for bait. It is largely employed 



