548 NOTES ON AUSTRALIAN EARTHWORMS, 



between the setae of the two inner couples ; the latter wanting on 

 somite xviii which bears the pores. In immature specimens also the 

 two inner couples of setae on this somite are wanting, and the 

 ventral surface in the region of the male pores is thickened 

 somewhat on each side of the median line. The apertures of the 

 oviducts are on somite xiv, one on either side of and rather close to 

 the median line, just behind the annular groove, in front of a 

 line joining the setse, and slightly ventrad of those of the 

 two innermost rows, ^permathecal apertures between somites 

 vh and viii, and viii and ix, their inner margins just about 

 in a line with the innermost rows of setse on each side 

 Dorsal pores intersegmental, commencing after somite viii and 

 continuing throughout. Most of the mesenteries of segments VI 

 to xiv are enormously thick and muscular, and there are strong 

 interseptal ligaments. 



The mouth leads into a buccal cavity, and this into the 

 pharynx, which for the size of the worm is short reaching 

 back to somite iv. The dorsal wall of the pharynx is especially 

 thick and muscular. Following the pharynx is a piece of 

 oesophagus which after somite v enters the large gizzard ; the 

 anterior division of this is thin-walled and hemispherical in 

 shape, and perhaps may function as a crop ; the posterior 

 division is cylindrical, but tapering posteriorly, thick-walled and 

 muscular. The whole of this structure lies between the two 

 mesenteries of somite vi, but in the spirit specimens dissected, it 

 pushed back the mesenteries between somites vi and vn, and vn 

 and viii, so as to lie in the first two and partly in the latter 

 somite, the mesenteries mentioned closely over-lying one another 

 and the gizzard. This is followed by the small intestine which in each 

 of somites xiv to xvi is provided with a pair of kidney-shaped intes- 

 tinal (calciferous) glands. (Figs. 1 and 2.) Each of the six 

 reniform, stalked pouches is grooved transversely on its dorsal 

 surface, a branch from the dorsal vessel running in the groove, and 

 is attached to the intestine by a duct arising almost from the hilus. 

 Their inner portions almost touch over the intestine, the dorsal 

 vessel running below and between them ; a more detailed account 



