Miscellaneous. 307 



it to be a female of a new species of this rare genus Hedruris. In 

 size it is about four times longer than the androphoru ; it has a 

 larger bead, and the body more distinctly striated across. This 

 species I have named Hedruris Siredoiiis ; but as only the female 

 has been as yet discovered, I am unable to give a very detailed de- 

 scription of it. 



Hedruris Siredonis. 



Female. Body 13 millimetres long, ^ millimetre broad, strongly 

 striated across, narrower at the anterior than the postei'ior extre- 

 mity, this latter terminating in an obtuse point furnished with what 

 Diesing calls a suctorial papilla, by which it adhered to the coat of 

 the stomach of the Siredon. Mate ? 



Hab. Stomach of the Siredon mexicanus from Mexico. British 

 Museum Collection. 



Along with this interesting species, and in the abdominal cavity 

 of the same animal, were three specimens of another Xematoid Worm 

 of a very different form. I consider it to belong to the family 

 Strongylidce, and to a genus which Dujardin established under the 

 name of Leptodera, so called from the long narrow neck (Xe-nTos, 

 narroiCy cepri, neck) which distinguishes the species upon which the 

 genus was founded. Only one species of this genus has as yet been 

 described, — the Leptodera Jlexilis of Dujardin, which was found 

 parasitic in the vas deferens of one of the Common Slugs {Lirnax 

 cinereus). This species is only from 2^ millimetres (male) to 4 mill, 

 (femxale) in length, whilst the new species from the Siredon mea- 

 sures from 16 to 25 mill. 



Leptodera elongata. 



Female. 25 millimetres long. Body filiform, neck long and 

 slender ; tail terminating in a long sharp point. Vulva situated 

 about the middle of the length of the body. 



Male. 16 millimetres long. Body filiform, neck long and slen- 

 der, tail sharp-pointed. Spicula double, proceeding from a swelling 

 near the commencement of the tail, and accompanied by two short 

 membranous expansions like wings. 



Hab. AhOiOxmnaX cdiVitj oi Siredon mexicanus. B.M. Collection, 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



On the Flowering of the American Aloe. By W. Sowerby. 



To the Editors of the Annals of Natural History. 



Gentlemen, Botanic Gardens, Regent's Park, Sept. 20, 1858. 



As the American Aloe (Agave Americana), although a very com- 

 mon plant, is seldom seen in flower, at least in England, perhaps a 

 few notes on the growth, &c., of the one now in bloom in these 

 Gardens mav interest some of the readers of the ' Annals.' 



