SOLOMON ISLANDS, THE NEW HEBRIDES, AND THE LOYALTY ISLANDS. 193 



of course in front of the innermost of the setae. Like the describer of the species 

 I could find no setae near to the male pores; in that segment (the XVIIIth) the 

 inner pair of setae are wanting. 



lizuka found that in this species the sperm ducts do not open at the junction 

 betweeD the muscular and glandular parts of the spermiducal gland. He remarks 

 further that " the exact relation of the vas deferens and the spermiducal gland in 

 Povtodrilus has probably never been subjected to careful examination by means of 

 s. rial sections." I cannot recollect whether my own statement, which he quotes as 

 part of the generic definition of the genus Pontodrilus, was based on actual examin- 

 ation ; but I imagine that it was, since the figures of Perrier would naturally not 

 be conclusive upon the point. In any case I have re-examined Pontodrilus littoralis 

 and find that the sperm duct does joint the spermiducal gland at the junction of 

 the glandular part with the muscular duct. I endeavoured to ascertain how far 

 Pontodrilus kesperidum agreed with the type species in this particular, but without 

 effect. The variability in this matter is precisely analogous to that which is found 

 in certain species of Perichaeta and which lias been referred to above under the 

 description of Perichaeta pacifica. In some the sperm duct joins the spermiducal 

 gland higher up than in others. The fact is evidently of no great importance; 

 but it is clear that it must be removed from the generic definition of Ponto- 

 drilus. 



28 



