he 
THE ANNALS 
AND 
MAGAZINE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 
[THIRD SERIES.] . 
No. 36. DECEMBER 1860. 
XLIX.—On the Occurrence of the Fingered Nais (Proto digitata) 
in England. By the Rev. W. Hovecurton, M.A., F.L.S. 
To the Editors of the Annals of Natural History. 
GENTLEMEN, 
_ Dr. Johnston, in his unpublished ‘ Catalogue of British An- 
nelids’ (for the loan of which I have been indebted to the kind- 
ness of Dr. Gray), expresses a doubt whether the rare and curious 
worm Proto digitata has been admitted with sufficient evidence 
into the English fauna. I am able to give satisfactory proof 
that this Annelid is an undoubted “ British possession,” having 
been fortunate enough in July of last year to make some slight 
acquaintance with this fingered species of the Naidine family. 
I regret, however, that I did not pay sufficient attention to the 
study of this worm last summer ; but, from lack of opportunity 
of consulting the works of Miiller, Grube, &c., and my conse- 
quent ignorance that my specimens were of any value as far as 
a new discovery was concerned, and feeling sure that I had only 
to wait for another summer to be able to find the worms again in 
the same spot from whence I had originally taken them, I made 
but a cursory examination of my specimens. Alas! the summer 
is gone (if, indeed, we can say that is gone which never came) ! 
and vain have been my numerous visits in search of Proto 
digitata. Nor alone in the summer have I sought the worm ; 
on several occasions both in the winter and spring I have most 
patiently examined the sand and mud from the water where I 
had expected to meet with specimens: but my perseverance has 
been unavailing ; I could not renew my acquaintance with digi- 
tata—not a finger would she extend. As, however, this worm is 
undoubtedly a rare one, and it may be long ere one “looks upon 
his like again,” I will take the present opportunity of briefly 
noticing it. 
Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 3. Vol. vi. 26 
