iGg 



BRITISH ANNELIDS. 



Wiril KSPKCIAL RRFKRKN'CK TO THR EARTHWORMS OF RSSEX. 



l!y REV. HII.hKKU' KKIKNI), K.L.S. 

 (Continued /rout fxtgi III.) 



ly /T V frequent appeals for help in this study have met with a very 

 heartless response from the nature-lovers of Essex. But for 

 the kindness and courtesy of two friends my articles must have come 

 to an untimely end, and even now they appear likely to remain 

 imperfect, unless a few ardent workers will come forward, and by one 

 united effort render the work complete. 



Following up our subject where it was left in The Essex 

 Naturalist for July {ante pp. 107-11 1), we come now to the study 

 of the second group of Allolobophora, which I have designated the 

 MiciDA group. As I have already indicated, in a footnote on p. 109, 

 considerable strides have been taken in our knowledge since that 

 article was first penned, and new worms have been discovered which 

 will make a further revision necessary ; but for the present I will 

 retain the name, and place under it all those worms which most 

 naturally fall under this designation. I may in the first place give a 

 brief summary of the characteristic of the group, after which, a 

 detailed account of each species will appropriately follow. 

 Allolokophora : §2, Mucida. 



A group of worms found almost exclusively in fields and 

 I)astures ; not averse to poor soil, which they greatly benefit, but 

 sometimes found in rich soil, as in cultivated fields and gardens. 

 Unlike the true earthworms {Lninbn'd), they usually have the tail 

 cylindrical. I may point out, what other observers appear never to 

 have indicated, that in Lumbricus the flattened tail is of immense 

 value to the worm as it lies partly exposed in its burrow. The 

 Mucid Worms seldom adopt this habit, hence the posterior extremity 

 differs in shape. The head or lip is only partially dovetailed into the 

 first ring or peristomium ; the male pores are usually placed on 

 prominent papillae on the fifteenth segment, and the girdle is 

 frequently large and closely fused. Under the girdle, on alternate 

 or consecutive segments, are the papillae known as the tuberatla 

 pubertatis. In colour the worms vary from a deep sea-green to 

 yellow, orange, flesh-red, clay, and sienna-brown. They emit, 

 when irritated, a i»eculiar mucus (whence the name of the group) 



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