160 FRANK E. BEDDARD. 



There is some little difSculty in counting the anterior seg- 

 ments, for the reason that the first two or three appear to be 

 retractile^ as they are stated to be in Urochaeta. 



Moreover, the first two are very narrow (see PI. XX, fig. 1), 

 and although there is a distinct furrow separating them/ their 

 total diameter is less than that of the iiird segment. From 

 this point onwards^ the only difficulty in mapping the segments 

 accurately is caused by the fact that a number of the 

 anterior segments of the body are entirely un- 

 provided with setse. In three specimens, which were par- 

 ticularly examined with regard to this point, the first five 

 segments were entirely without setae, so that the first seti- 

 gerous segment is the 6th body-segment. 



So far as I am aware, this is the only instance among the 

 Oligochseta of so large a number of segments whose setae have 

 disappeared; in certain forms, such as Nais, the setae of the 

 first few anterior segments are considerably reduced in number 

 by the disappearance of the dorsal bundles, while in Chajto- 

 g aster there is apparently a number of segments without any 

 setae intercalated between the first and second setigerous 

 segments. 



in my description, having discovered a long prostomium in an example of a 

 worm which seems to be identical with my Thamnodrilus Gulielmi (2); 

 on re-examining my specimens I find that a prostomium is present in that 

 species, and that I actually figured it (2, woodcut, fig. 2, p. 157) in its 

 retracted condition. The ornamented setae are, moreover, not confined to the 

 clitellum, but are found all over the body, though the ridges upon them are 

 very much less marked, and quite escaped my attention. It is therefore 

 evident that my Thamnodrilus is identical with Rhinodrilus. It is 

 possible that Anteus does not generically differ from either of these forms. 



' I am not at all prepared to state positively that there is really this divi- 

 sion. In longitudinal sections the supposed division looked of no more 

 importance than the division between the anuuli of the succeeding segments ; 

 the brain is as usual placed between two segments, or rather near to the 

 posterior boundary of the segment containing it. If this is reckoned the 

 third, as in other earthworms, then the supposed two segments will be 

 really only one ; but then we shall have the apparently anomalous position of 

 the testes and vas deferens funnels in the ixth and xth, instead of in 

 the xth and xith segments. 



