Australian Earthwovmfi. 231 



to the segments. Tliey are much more numerous towards the 

 anterior end, where they are arranged quite irregularly, giving 

 a velvet-like appearance to the body wall. Towards the pos- 

 terior end they become more regularly arranged, forming what 

 appears to be a single row in each segment. Tufts of tubules 

 attached to the alimentary canal, and regarded as pepto- 

 nephridia by Beddard, are present in the first three segments, 

 and are attached to the ventral surface of the alimentary 

 canal. 



Microscopic Structure. — The nephridia in the hinder part of 

 the body, from where my series of sections were taken, proved 

 to be infested with sporozoa. These lay in masses round the 

 nephridia and septa, completely disguising the histology of the 

 nephridiuni, and apparently causing the familiar appearance of 

 the tissue lining the body cavity. No sporozoa were present in 

 the circular or longitudinal muscles. 



6. — Perissogastep excavata, Fletcher (7), p. 383; 

 syn. Digaster excavata, Fletcher. 



No nephridiopores were visible. 



The nephridia are micronephric, the anterior nephridia in the 

 first four segments being modified to form peptonephridia, as in 

 Digaster armifera. 



Macroscopic Structure. — Again, as in D. armifera, micro- 

 nephridia are present throughout, but are inuch more numerous 

 towards the anterior end of the body. (Feltcher (8), p. 383.) 

 Those in the first four segments are attached to the alimentary 

 canal wall, and probably function as peptonephridia. A few 

 nephridia in the three posterior segments of the body seem to 

 remain attached to the alimentary canal near the anus, and are 

 in all probability anal nephridia (c.f. Beddard (2), p. 49). 



.7. — Megascolides australis, McCoy (13): 



syn. Notoscolex gippslandicus, Fletcher. 



This form has been fully described by Professor Spencer in 

 his Monograph on the Anatomy of Megascolides australis (14), 

 50 there is no need to describe the nephridial system in full, 



