208 Proceedings of the Royal SGciety of Victoria. 



in it, the embryos themselves producing placenta whereby they 

 drew nutriment from the mother. There was nothing of this 

 kind to be found in the Australian species. The eggs were 

 simply fertilized, and tiie shell then developed around them. 



The President asked whether there was any uncertainty in 

 the mode of reproduction. For instance, might it sometimes be 

 oviparous and sometimes viviparous ? 



Dr. Dendy thought there could be no doubt that it was always 

 oviparous. If it were not so, the egg would not be so beautifully 

 sculptured. The viviparous species could not be said to be just 

 viviparous, for they were so viviparous that the young were said 

 to remain in the uterus for no less than thirteen months, and did 

 not leave the parent until they were fully developed. In view of 

 the facts that the egg shell was sculptured, and that there was no 

 trace of embryo in the egg when laid, he thought the species to be 

 truly oviparous. 



Dr. Dendy next read a paper entitled, " Short Descriptions of 

 New Land Planarians." 



The President asked whether the species of the land planarian 

 were detinitely marked off from each other, or whether there was 

 a series of slightly varying individuals connecting one species 

 with another-. 



Dr Dendy said there was a gradual series. Land Planarians 

 were, perhaps, one of the best illustrations of Darwin's theory of 

 evolution. All the connecting links were apparently still present. 

 Of course, there were no such things as different species in 

 nature ; there had been connecting links at some time. Fortun- 

 ately, all the planarians remained. Still, he thought it convenient 

 to have a name for each. As a rule, the species in each locality 

 were tolerably constant ; and although there were connecting 

 links between them, he did not think that a reason for not using 

 distinct names for each. 



Professor Spencer then exhiliited, and read a few notes 

 upon, Ndtori/ctes ti/ph/ops, the new Australian manunal recently 

 described by Dr. E. C. Stirling. 



The President remarked that it seemed strange that a blind 

 animal should come above ground so constantly. Would it not 

 be subject to great danger in so doing 1 



Dr. Dendy suggested that as it was a desert country there 

 would be hardly anything to molest it. 



Ml". J. B. Wilson said it would be interesting to know 

 whether the oi'gan of smell was specially developed. It seemed 

 extraordinary that a perfectly blind animal should be able to get 

 its food, unless it had some special provision of the sort. 



