W. W. Smith. — On New Zealand EarLlnoorms. 155 



Akt. X. — Further Notes on Neiv Zealand Earthworms. 



By W. W. Smith. 



Communicated by A.. Hamilton. 



[Read before the Otago Institute, 9th October, 1893.] 



In the present paper I offer abstracts of two valuable papers 

 on new species of New Zealand earthworms by Mr. F. E. 

 Beddard, F.E.S., and Dr. W. B. Benham,F.L.S.- The species 

 described by Beddard were sent to him from New Zealand by 

 Professor Parker, F.E.S., and myself. I do not know where 

 Professor Parker obtained the specimens, but I have prefaced 

 Beddard's anatomical descriptions wdth some notes indicating 

 the locality where I obtained them, and their habits so far as 

 I have been able to ascertain. It is now interesting to note 

 that the New Zealand Acanthodrilidce are represented by both 

 pygmy and giant forms, while they constitute a remarkable 

 gradational series in the evolution of species. 



Before proceeding to give abstracts of these recent papers 

 by Beddard and Benhara, I desire to offer to this Institute 

 some observations on the habits, anomalies in structure, and 

 on the work of both native and exotic earthworms. In view 

 of the phenomenal increase and dispersion of alien species, it 

 is important to record their progress at the present time in 

 order to ascertain their effects in future years on the extinction 

 of endemic worms. It is a remarkable fact that the large 

 native worms rapidly disappear from gardens and fields wher- 

 ever the more diminutive aliens enter the soil. Apart from 

 their greater liability to injury by the plough or spade, there 

 are other causes operating against them which I hope to be 

 able to work out fully at some future time. The smaller in- 

 digenous species also vanish from cultivated land in few years 

 from the operation of some " inscrutable law of nature" un- 

 known at present. 



Abnormalities and Variability of Earthworms. — In several 

 species, both endemic and introduced, I have occasionally 

 met with several abnormal forms. The abnormality consists 

 in their being viinus a greater or lesser number of post-clitelhan 

 segments. The same occurrence has been observed by the 

 Rev. H. Friend, F.L.S., in Lumbricus rubellus,] Hoffmeister, 



* I have unavoidably omitted abstracting Benham's papers at the 

 present time. 



t " Journal of the Linnean Society," vol. xxiv., p. 313. 



