Australian Earfhworras. 245 



(3) pharynx, (-l) oesophagus, and (5) hirge intestine. The gizzard 

 is included in the oesophagus. 



From the examination of the seven species of worms above 

 named, I find that there is a definite portion immediately fol,- 

 loving the pharynx in all of them, which, so far as I can under- 

 stand, has hitherto been included in the oesophagus, as its most 

 anterior portion. I have found, however, its structure to be so 

 different to the remaining portion of the oesophagus that I 

 propose to distinguish it from the other parts as a separate 

 portion, and as it resembles in position the " crop " of European 

 forms, I intend using this term for this particular portion. It is 

 always present, but is hidden from view in a median dorsal dis- 

 section, owing to the pharyngeal mass extending over it, and 

 also because of the muscles connecting the latter with the 

 anterior portion of the gizzard. 



I also intend classifying the gizzard as a distinct portion of 

 the canal, instead of including it as part of the oesophagus. 



My division of the canal will therefore be as follows : — (1) 

 Mouth, (2) buccal cavity, (3) pharynx, (4) crop, (5) gizzard, (6) 

 oesophagus (including the so-called calciferous glands), and (7) 

 large intestine. 



(1) The mouth is overhung by the prostomium. 



(2) The huccdJ cavity is thin-walled, with strands of connective 

 tissue stretching from it to the inner surface of the body wall. 



(3) The pharynx has a large muscular mass on its dorsal sur- 

 face, which is seen in a vertical dissection to be partly glandular 

 [Fig. 1]. The internal lining is folded dorsally, sending branches 

 far up into the mass. There are strands of muscle reaching 

 from the posterior dorsal reg-on of pharynx to the anterior 

 dorsal portion of the gizzard, and also to the sides of the body, 

 across the coelom. 



(4) Tlie crop is the large dilated portion in front of the 

 gizzard, and is seen in a median vertical d'ssection to be thin- 

 walled and rather large for the space it occupies, so it generally 

 appears to be slightly folded on itself. [Fig. 1.] 



(5) The gizzard is thick-walled and occupies one segment 

 only, i.e., the one following that in which the crop is situated. 

 Beddard mentions in his " Monograph of the Order of Oligo- 

 chaeta *' that the genus Perichaeta is remarkal)le for the fact 



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