3'26 Dr. Johnston's Contributions to the British Fautia. 



tribe, though, being the denizen of a different element, it must 

 of necessity differ materially both in structure and habits. 



Fam. EciiiUKEEs. Lamarck. 

 Gen. LuMBRicus. Id. 



Of this genus as it stands defined in modern systems, the 

 L. terrestris is the only species which has found a place in the 

 British Fauna. Dr. Fleming has added the L. variegatus and 

 vermiculuris of Muller, but he has given no descriptions ; and as 

 our account of them, if indeed we have met with these species, 

 differs in some particulars, we shall present them anew to the 

 readers of this Journal, with such other species as may have 

 occurred to us. 



1. L. VAUIEGATUS. 



1. L. ruber, maculatus, marginibus pallidis, iinmaculatisy crenu- 

 laiis ; cingulo nullo. 



L. variegatus. Midler, Ferm. I. ii. 26. 



Ilab. Fresh water ditches, amongst aquatic plants, common. 



Desc. Body slender, filiform, an inch or more long, narrowed 

 a little at each end, chiefly so at the anterior; of a reddisli-browa 

 maculated colour, with a vessel of a very fine ruby-red colour 

 running down the middle ; the margins arc straw-yellow and 

 finely crenulate. A row of very short retractile spines extends 

 along each side. 



The natural or ground colour of the body seems to be a straw- 

 yellow ; and {he red is variable in extent, and in the character of 

 the markings. Tha quadrangular brown spots arranged along 

 each side of the central vessel, as described by Muller, are often 

 very obvious, but only in individuals which seem to have wanted 

 food for some time ; and more commonly the spots are very large, 

 appearing almost to coalesce, and losing altogether the regular 

 pinnate character. They seem to arise from terrene matter in the 

 intestines, and vary of course according to the quantity of the 

 contents. The colour of the central vessel is always alike, and 

 the irregular movements of a fluid in it are very perceptible. 

 There is in most specimens an indentation more or less deep on 



