Earthworm from Eeuador. 241 
below the pharynx (asin 2. Gulielmus) ; when it reaches the 
level of somite ii, it rises upwards along the sides of this 
portion of the gut, passes between the two lobes of the 
“salivary glands,” and continuing (fig. 2, p.n.d.) forwards 
enters the muscular wall near the junction of the pharynx and 
buccal region; into the latter the nephridium probably 
opens. 
In the previous species a similar “ peptonephridium ”’ is 
present ; but it opens externally in the second (2. Gulielmus) 
or third somite (22. Tenkatet). I searched carefully for any 
pore on somites il. and in., but found none; and it 1s compa- 
ratively easy, despite the small size of the worm, to trace the 
duct along the course I have just indicated. 
When removed from the body the peptonephridium is seen 
to be composed of a densely coiled tubule, the course of 
which would be very difficult to follow; it is provided with 
a funnel of rather larger size than the following ones. The 
surface of the peptonephridium is covered with a close net- 
work of blood-vessels. 
I am not quite certain as to the segment to which the 
funnel belongs; but at any rate it will be seen that this 
nephridium, like the following, has a considerable length, 
passing from about the level of the second to that of the 
eighth somite, and recalls the enlarged thoracic nephridia of 
many of the tubicolous Polychaeta. 
The second nephridium (fig. 2, 2.°) opens externally on 
somite iv.; the long duct passes backwards, alongside the 
pharynx, to reach the convoluted tube at the side of the ante- 
rior part of the cesophagus. ‘The following nephridial aper- 
tures are regularly arranged, and the ducts of the nephridia 
extend backwards in a similar way ; they are all quite easily 
followed from their pores to the coiled tubule, and it is the 
latter which it is important to note particularly. 
The coil of the third nephridium is at the side of the 
cesophagus, behind the second nephridium, that of the fourth 
still further back, in front of the gizzard; the coil of the 
fifth nephridium (fig. 2, 2.”) les on the upper surface of the 
gizzard near its hinder end; and since this nephridium belongs 
to somite vii., the gizzard evidently belongs to the same 
somite, although thrust back into the following somites. The 
coils of the sixth and seventh nephridia are close together, 
immediately behind the gizzard, by the side of the “ lateral 
hearts.” he eighth nephridium belonging to somite x. has 
its coiled tubule immediately in front of, and very closely 
applied to, the sac which contains the first pair of ciliated 
rosettes, which thus belongs to somite xi. The ninth nephri- 
e 
