BY J. J. FLETCHER, M.A., B.SC. 561 



prostate gland. Copulatory pouches varying in number from two 

 to four pairs, and provided each with a variously shaped supple- 

 mentary pouch or pouches. Intestine with a caecum on either side 

 in 26 th segment " 



No species of this genus has hitherto been described from Aus- 

 tralia I believe, though in his description of Megascoiides, Professor 

 M'Coy incidentally mentions the occurrence of a perichaete worm in 

 Gippsland, which he calls P. Gippslandica, but of which I have 

 been unable to find any published description. Two new species 

 are recorded in this paper, and in addition in the Macleay Museum 

 there are specimens of at least two worms from Queensland, 

 different from these, and probably differing from each other, which 

 have uninterrupted rings of setae. 



6. Perich^eta australis, n. sp. 



(Plate IX, figs. 9-11.) 



A large Burrawang spirit specimen consisting of about 140 

 segments gave the following measurements : Length 144 mm. ; 

 breadth 9 mm. ; length of preclitellar region 19 mm. A Mt. 

 Wilson specimen has about the same dimensions. Body cylindrical, 

 perceptibly constricted at the clitellum, region anterior to this 

 olive-shaped; the last nine or ten somites decrease in circumference 

 rapidly and successively. Colour from reddish to greenish brown 

 above, very iridescent, much lighter below ; old worms are much 

 darker in colour than young ones, which are redder. The dorsal vessel 

 shews conspicuously through the skin in the median dorsal line. 

 Prostomium pyriform, with a longitudinal groove inferiorly, 

 extends on to the buccal segment for about two-thirds of its width. 



Clitellum distinct, comprising three somites — xiv to xvi ; com- 

 plete all round, not usually so thick as to obliterate entirely the 

 intersegmental grooves ; setae and dorsal pores present on the 

 clitellar segments. 



Setae simple, generally /-shaped, though from the region in front of 

 clitellum they are straighter, thicker, with the projecting portion 

 transversely striated : arranged on a transverse ridge in the middle 



