A PECULIAR GREENHOUSE WORM. 



219 



face. The under surface is also marked by 

 dark lines which are wider apart on the an- 

 terior half than on the posterior half of the 

 length of the body. 



The mouth is situated on the under sur- 

 face near the middle of the body. This 

 feature is not readily seen in a living speci- 

 men, but is quite conspicuous in a specimen 

 which has been dropped into dilute alcohol. 

 The pharynx is then apparently everted as a 

 white fringfe of skin surrounding the open- 

 ing. (Fig. 1824 a.) 



The mode of locomotion is peculiar. The 

 head seldom touches the ground, then only 

 the lips, which are constantly changing- 

 shape, which are sometimes serrated, some- 

 times bifid. There is little of the sinuous 

 movement so characteristic of the earth- 

 worm, but there is a muscular contraction 

 which sends a wave backward from the 

 head. According to a reliable authority, 

 however, two rows of cilia, or fine threads, 

 on the under surface of the body form the 

 chief means of propulsion. 



As to the position of this worm in the 

 animal kingdom there seems to be little 

 doubt that it belongs to the Flafworms, and 

 on account of the presence of cilia on the 

 lower surface of the body, and a three- 

 branched intestine, it is classed among the 

 Triclad Ttirbellarians, or more popularly, 

 LuTid Planarians. This particular worm is 

 known scientifically as Bipalium Kewetise, 

 a species indigenous to tropical reg-ions, 

 whence it has been carried to various coun- 

 tries with exported plants. It has already 

 been found in hothouses in England, Ger- 

 many, the Cape, and Sydney, Australia, but 

 so far as I am aware, has not before been 

 noted in Canada. 



The Land Planarians are carnivorous, and 

 feed on earthworms, slugs, wood-lice and 

 insect-larvae. Lehnert states that " Bi- 

 palium Kewense pursues earthworms, seizes 

 the upper surface of the anterior end by the 

 glutinous secretion of its ventral surface, 



^ 



4? ^ 



Fig. 1824. 



{a) Worm in alcohol, contracted, showing the 

 mouth on the under surface. 



(6) Upper surface of front portion of worm, 

 showing the three dark bands. 



{c) Under surface of front portion of worm, 

 showing the two dark bands and the intestine be- 

 tween the n ^m^-^ 



(^) Under portion of hind portion of worm, 

 showing the two dark bands closer together. 



(^/.?" ^) Different forms taken by the head 

 when worm is alive. 



