The Classification and Distribution of Earthworms. 281 



to the earthworm fauna of Chili, places after each of the 

 three Lumbricidee the word " eingeschleppt," and I am quite 

 disposed to agree with him. Moreover, many of the so- 

 called *' Lumhricus " which occur in South America and in 

 other extra-European countries, are certainly not referable to 

 this genus or to Allolohophora. Pending the production of 

 evidence to the contrary, I do not admit that the genera 

 Lumhricus and Allolohophora are indigenous to any countries 

 but Europe, Northern Asia, and North America. 



It is, however, a difficult task to proceed further with the 

 elimination of those facts in geographical distribution which 

 have been caused by the direct, though unconscious, inter- 

 ference of human agency. 



There are not many cases, fortunately, which suggest 

 that this explanation should be called in. The most pro- 

 minent is that of Eudrilits. This genus is common in 

 South America, and in some of the West Indian islands 

 (Bahamas) ; it is also apparently common in New Caledonia, 

 and occurs in New Zealand. It was first recorded by myself 

 from New Caledonia on the strength of some specimens 

 M'hich I received through the kindness of Mr E. L. Layard, 

 H.B.M. Consul at Noumea. These specimens I described as 

 Eudrilus Boyeri, but it may be, as Horst has suggested, that 

 this supposed species is not really different from Perrier's 

 Eudrilus from South America. I wrote to Mr Layard to 

 inquire if there was such trade between these two distant 

 parts of the world as might reasonably account for the intro- 

 duction of South American forms. He informed me that 

 there was not, and that the chief trade was with Australia. 

 The genus Eudrilus has been described as occurring in this 

 latter country by Fletcher ; but I have not included the genus 

 in my list of Australian genera, for the reason that it cannot 

 be considered to be proved that Fletcher's Eudrilus dubius is 

 really a member of the genus. Ptosa^ has suggested that it is 

 probably referable to his Microscolex. As Eudrilus occurs in 

 New Zealand, it may also occur in Australia, but the fauna 

 of these two countries differs quite as much in respect of 



^ Nuova Classiticazione dei Tcrricoli — Boll. Mus. Zool. Torino, vol. iii., 

 No. 41, p. 15. 



