304 MR. F. E. BEDDARD ON NEW OR [May 18, 
In all the species described by Perrier there appears to be but a 
single vasa deferens on either side of the body, which opens directly 
into the bursa copulatrix and not, as in my species, into the prostatic 
glands. The single vas deferens of either side is figured by Perrier 
(loc. cit. pl. il. fig. 26). In all the specimens of Eudrilus boyeri 
dissected by me there were unmistakably two vasa deferentia on 
each side of the body, which after came to be separated by a. 
considerable interval, owing perhaps to the contraction of the body- 
walls, though more usually lying side by side and in close juxta- 
position. The only other genus in which there are two vasa 
deferentia on each side of the body is Acanthodrilus, and this is in 
correspondence with the two generative orifices of each side ; where 
there is only a single pair of male generative pores, the vasa deferentia 
become fused directly behind the posterior funnel and pass down the 
body as a single tube. In Microcheta, however, Benham’ has 
described the two vasa deferentia of each side continuing separate 
for several segments, though they ultimately become fused some way 
in front of the male generative pore. 
The condition of the vasa deferentia in Eudrilus boyeri forms 
another intermediate term in the series which connects Acanthodrilus 
with Lumbricus; in Acanthodrilus the two vasa deferentia are 
separate throughout their whole extent and their external apertures 
are each furnished with a prostate gland’. In Ludrilus boyert 
there is only a single generative opening, but the vasa deferentia 
temain distinct. In Microcheta, where there is also a single male 
generative pore, the vasa deferentia of each side are partially fused. 
Finally, in Lumbricus and other genera the vasa deferentia unite 
immediately behind the posterior internal funnel. 
The nephridia of this species are well developed, and open in every 
case in front of the dorsal sete. The organs themselves are 
remarkable for the very large muscular duct. 
The alimentary tract presents certain features of interest. 
The cesophagus is furnished with three pairs of thick-walled 
whitish-coloured glands disposed in pairs in consecutive segments, 
viz. 11, 12, and 13; the posterior pair was smaller than the two 
anterior pairs. These glands appeared to have a lamellar structure, 
and the interior was filled with irregularly-shaped calcareous masses : 
there seems to me to be no doubt that these structures correspond to 
the calcigerous glands of Zuméricus. Along the intestine are 
another series of glands, about 40-50 pairs, commencing in the 
90th segment. There is a single pair of these glands to each 
segment, which become larger towards the middle of the series, and 
1 Quart. Journ. Mier. Sci. vol. xxvi. 
2 In a species of Pericheta recently described by myself (Ann. & Mag. Nat. 
Hist. 1886, xvii. p. 89) there are two prostates oneither side, whose apertures are, 
however, situated in the same segment, and not in different segments as in 
Acanthodrilus, The condition of the specimen was such that I could not detect 
the connection of these with the vasa deferentia, It seems very possible that 
each prostate may correspond to a single vas deferens, in which case the male 
generative organs of this worm will be in certain respects intermediate between 
those of Acanthodrilus and Eudrilus boyeri. 
