90 Mr. F. E. Beddard on Earthworms from 



decide whether the present species is really new to science or 

 is identical with one of the four species recorded by Schmarda. 

 I am not aware of any means of solving the difficulty, and 

 therefore venture to describe the present species under a new 

 name, indicating its habitat, since it clearly differs from any 

 Perichceta whose anatomy is known and whose specific di- 

 stinctness can on this account be determined with certainty. 



I have only had the opportunity of examining a single 

 specimen of the earthworm, which I owe to the kindness of 

 Dr. Ondaatje. 



The worm measures 9 inches in length by about 10 millim. 

 in breadth ; it is of an intense black colour on the dorsal sur- 

 face, of a dark grey on the ventral surface. h\ the region of 

 the clitellum the colour of the ventral surface differs, and is 

 black, like that of the dorsal surface. 



The clitellum is so far different from that of other P(Sr^c^ce^oe 

 that it is not sharply marked off from the rest of the integu- 

 ment either anteriorly or posteriorly ; tliis may be due to the 

 inferior state of preservation of the specimen, but is probably 

 not so ; other species of the genus that I have recently 

 examined, although softened and injured by preservation 

 in weak alcohol, still retain the characteristic distinctness of 

 the clitellum, which in this genus is continued right round 

 the body without a break and is not saddle-shaped, as in 

 Lumhricus and many other genera. The clitellum of Peri- 

 chceta ceylonica occupies segments 14, 15, 16, and a part of 17. 

 The setce^ as in the majority of species, form a continuous 

 row round the middle of each segment ; in the ventral median 

 line, however, a minute median area remains devoid of sette ; 

 it did not appear to me that there was anytliing characteristic 

 in the shape of the set£e. 



The a])ertures of the spermathecaj are conspicuous on the 

 boundary-line between segments 8 and 9 ; they are widely 

 separated from each other. 



On the 18th segment are the male generative openings, 

 which present an arrangement unlike that met with in any 

 other species of the genus at present known. The row of 

 set83, which in all the other segments of the body is continuous 

 or very nearly so round the middle of the segment^ stops short 

 of the middle line in the 1 8th segment, leaving a median space 

 of 3"5 millim. in extent entirely devoid of setas. On either side 

 of this bare patch is a conspicuous orifice (fig. 1,^), through 

 which protrude one or two peculiarly modified setee generally 

 known as "penial" seta3. On the left side of the body m 

 the specimen before me there are two such seta3, on the right 

 only one. The general shape of tliese setaj can be understood 



