248 DESCRIPTIONS OF EARTHWORMS. 



therefore 1 thought it very interesting to examine if the 

 structure of the genital organs in our specimens did corres- 

 pond with his description. Moreover through the kindness of 

 Mr. Layard I was able to dissect also some individuals of 

 E. Boyeri Bedd. from New Caledonia. 



The largest of our two Surinam-specimens measures 170 

 m.m. in length , the number of its segments being about 

 200. The cephalic lobe is club-shaped, impinging till the 

 middle of the buccal segment. There is an annular girdle , 

 occupying six segments, from the 13th to the 18th, quite 

 like in E. Lacazii Perr. The female genital pores are situated 

 on segment 14, in the series of the dorsal bristles, the 

 male genital pores lie on segment 17, in the series of the 

 ventral bristles ; the last pores are rather large and sur- 

 rounded by a ridge, which is radiately folded. 



Our individuals are plainly intraclitelline, like E. 

 peregrinus , E. Lacazii and E. Boyeri , and the assertion 

 of Perrier , that E. decipiens should be p o s t c 1 i t e 1 1 i n e , its 

 clitellum extending but from the 13th to the 15th seg- 

 ment, is undoubtedly a mistake as already suggested by 

 himself» 



The alimentary tract is furnished in the segments 10, 11 

 and 12, behind the gizzard, with three pairs of pouch- 

 shaped glands , like in E. Boyeri ; I have also been able to 

 detect the series of glands on the dorsal wall of the intes- 

 tine , in the posterior part of the body, mentioned by Beddard. 

 There are three pairs of large lateral hearts in segment 

 8, 9 and 10, like in E. Lacazii; moreover an intestinal 

 heart appears to be present in segment 11. Two pairs of 

 seminal vesicles could be detected, occupying the segments 

 10, 11 and 12; with these are connected two pairs of 

 vasa deferentia , whose ciliated rosettes are situated in seg- 

 ment 10 and 11. The two sperm-ducts of each side re- 

 mained perfectly separated , running quite near each other, 

 parallel with the intestine , till into the 1 7th segment ; here 

 they bend around the external side of the bursa copulatrix 

 and open into the middle of a long, tubular, muscular 



Notes from the Xjeyden museum, "^'ol. IX. 



