24 EARTHWORMS AND THEIR ALLIES [ch. 



enlarged and thus form a more eifective means of 

 holding on to the soil than is possessed by other 

 species. 



The sub-family Hormogastrinae which contains 

 but a single genus Hormogaster is remarkable for 

 being limited in range to the Mediterranean coasts. 

 The genus is mainly distinguished by possessing three 

 gizzards; otherwise it is not very different from the 

 sub-family just described. The African and Mada- 

 gascar forms are associated (together with a few 

 Asiatic forms) into a third sub-family Microchaetinae. 

 These worms frequently possess a considerable 

 number of very small spermathecae in segments 

 XII, XIII or thereabouts instead of the usual paired 

 arrangement. They have too very often glands con- 

 nected with the enlarged setae already mentioned 

 which are however (in the genus Kynotus at any 

 rate) usually in front of the clitellum. The latter 

 organ, contrary to what we find among the Geos- 

 colecinae, is often behind the point of orifice of the 

 male pores. This is so with Kynotus. 



The last sub-family, Criodrilinae, has but three 

 genera Criodriliis, Sparganophihis and Alma. These 

 worms do not show any very marked diff"erences from 

 other Geoscolecids. Alma is noteworthy for the facts 

 that the male pores are borne upon long processes of 

 the body which bear specially modified setae and 

 that one species at any rate has gills. 



