■^^^"] FLATWOKM ; LAND PLANARIAN. 97 



I did not find any observations of this " Flatworm," B. kewense, 

 being injurious to plant life ; but, as besides the fact of this " exotic 

 worm " being found, as mentioned above, in hothouses, it was also 

 noticed as found amongst broken pots, and on one occasion as having 

 been at the bottom of a flower-pot " which had been in a cold frame 

 all winter," I gave a short account of the infestation, with the sugges- 

 tion that some further information would be very desirable. 



This I was kindly favoured with in the course of the past season 

 by Dr. K. Stewart MacDougall, Entomologist to the Royal Botanic 

 Society of Edinburgh, in the following communication, sent me from 

 the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, on April 4th, in the past 

 season (1900). In this, it will be seen, some points of much interest 

 are entered on — the method of its introduction into this country ; its 

 habits as especially feeding on Earthworms, and the manner in 

 which its sticky secretion helps it to secure and conquer its prey. 

 Also the method in which multiplication of the Bipaliiim is believed 

 to be carried on in this country. Dr. MacDougall wrote me as 

 follows : — 



" I noticed your mention of Bipalium kewense. This tropical form 

 of Land Planarian has been introduced in plants and soil from some- 

 where or other to our country and also to Germany. I know it quite 

 well at the garden here in the tropical house, and have often watched 

 it, whilst there is at least one record of its having been found in the 

 open near Edinburgh, as chronicled by Professor J. Arthur Thomson. 

 I showed several specimens of it two years ago at a meeting of the 

 Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 



"In food habits the Land Planariae seem to be chiefly, if not 

 entirely, carnivorous, and the worm in question, Bipalium, preys on 

 Earthworms, which it seizes and holds on to by means of the sticky 

 secretion from glands along its ventral surface. They can hold on 

 very tightly. I have seen a little Bipalium tackle a plump Earthworm 

 three or four times its own length, and, though the Earthworm did its 

 best, it was quite unable to shake ofl" its enemy. 



"Lehuert reports that Bipalium, having fastened itself to the 

 caught worm, proceeds to extend its pharynx over the front part of 

 the Earthworm, whose tissues are sucked into the alimentary canal of 

 the Bipalium. I have never seen this, but have noticed the Earth- 

 worms seized, generally at the anterior end, and then sucked by their 

 foe. The Earthworm, when let go, would be in a jelly or broken 

 in two. 



" It is believed that, living in our country, Bipalium can only 

 multiply itself vegetatively by breaking up into several pieces, each of 

 which proceeds to grow on the necessary parts to make it again a 

 complete worm." — (R, S. MacD.) 



