476 FRANK E. BEDDARD. 



§ Affinities of Deodrilus. 



The question of the systematic position of this Annelid 

 necessitates some review of recent attempts to classify the 

 group. As, however, I intend to publish an attempt at the 

 classification of these Annelids with a criticism of existing 

 schemes, I shall make my references as brief as possible. 



Deodrilus evidently belongs to the " Intraclitellian " 

 group of Perrier (13) ; but as Perrier^s scheme — undoubtedly 

 a great advance upon what had gone before — is not now gene- 

 rally accepted, I shall not urge any reasons why Deodrilus 

 does not fall in with that classificatory attempt. 



The most recent schemes are those of E-osa (9) and Vail- 

 lant (14) } Rosa has divided earthworms into six families — 

 Lumbricidse, Geoscolecidse, ? Moniligastridse, Acan- 

 thodrilidse, Eudrilidse, Perichsetidse. 



It is only with the second and fifth of these families that 

 Deodrilus can have any connection. 



These families are defined by Rosa as follows. 



GEOSCOLECIDiE. 



(1) Male pores within the clitellum between the dorsal and 

 ventral setse, occupying segments or intersegmental grooves 

 which are very variable. 



(2) Clitellum generally saddle-shaped ; length and position 

 variable. 



(3) Setae eight per segment, in pairs or singly, or diversely 

 arranged in the anterior and posterior segments. 



(4) Copulatory setse longer than the others and of a dif- 

 ferent form. 



(5) Gizzard (or gizzards) placed anteriorly. 



(6) Sperm-sacs one or two pairs. 



(7) No prostates or penial setse. 



^ Since writing the above I have received through the kindness of the 

 author Mr. Beuham's " An Attempt to Classify Earthworms," ' Quart. Jouru. 

 Micr. Sci.,' vol. xxxi, pp. 201 — 315. 



