BRITISH WELL-WORMS. 9 



worms which had tlien been described as British. As I 

 hesitated to found a new species or genus on a soHtary specimen, 

 however well marked it might be, I wrote to Dr. Wheeler thank- 

 ing him for the steps he had taken, a'ld urgin-^ him to try and 

 secure duplicates. His reply was as foUows : — 



Chelmsford, 



24(h November, 1S92. 

 My Dear Sir, 



Please accept my thanks for your leLter respecting the interesting 

 worm I sent you. I at once communicated the interest you took in the 

 matter, and he (the patient) has promised that he will, as soon as he 

 sees another, let me have it. I have advised him to proceed to get 

 some out of the well, as you su;^gest there are more there. I should 

 have written before, bat hoped another worm mi^ht have been pro- 

 cured. 



When alive it was extremely acti\e in its movements, and appeared 

 unusually pointed at both extremities, which it moved so much alike 

 that for a time I could not discover which was its head. It appeared 

 very long in proportion to its thickness. With thanks for your inform- 

 ation, and hoping I may before long be able to get more lor you. 



Believe me, yours faithfully, 



Daniel Wheeler. 



I regret to say that from that day to this I have failed to 

 secure a duplicate, though it is certain ihat others must often 

 have been observed. With a view to securing interest in the 

 matter I sent a note to the Editor of the Essex N.\tur.\list 

 in December, 1892, ' and later in 1S96 a brief description 

 under the name " Dichceta ciirvisetosa, Nov. sp. et Gen.", - 

 and also in The N.\turalist. The principal details have 

 already been given, but as the worm is now clearly a member 

 of a genus already described the name nmst he corrected. I 

 shall give a full description in a later issue of the Essex 

 Naturalist, and trust that in the meanwhile the readers will 

 make efforts to secure me more material. Worms found in 

 wells may at once be transferred to glycerine, but it is prefer- 

 able to send them alive in a small buttle with water to the 

 Editor or direct to the Rev. Hilderic Friend. Ocker Jrlill, 

 Tipton, Staffordshire. 



1 Essex Naturalist, vol. vi., p. i8j ([892). 



2 '-Notes on Ess^x Wonis (OUgoch;et3). Description of a species new to Britain 

 (Hen'.ea ventricnlosa, D'UdeUcm) and of a genus and species new to science {Dichcrta 

 ciirvisetosa, Friend), both fro.n Ej-se.'<," Esskx Naiuhalist, vol. ix., pp. iio-iii (1S96). 



