670 DR. A. G. BOURNE ON INDIAN EARTHWORMS. [ Dec. 21, 
The nephridia are small and present a unique arrangement. The 
nephridiopores are all placed on the anterior edge of a somite. They 
are placed in two rows on each side, an inner and an outer row. 
The inner row is about in a line with the 11th sete. Counting 
from the median ventral line, the outer row is about in a line with the 
17th setze, while the spermathecal pores are in a line with the 4th sete. 
In somite iv. there is a single nephridiopore on the left-hand side, 
in somite y. there is a single pore on the right-hand side, in somite 
vi. there is a single pore on the left-hand side; these three pores all 
belong to the inner rows. In somite vii. I found no pore. The 
remaining somites each present two pores. In somites viil., x., xil., 
xiv., &c. the pore on the right side belongs to the outer row, and the 
pore on the left side to the inner row. In somites ix., Xi., xill., xv., 
&c. the reverse arrangement obtains, viz., the left-hand pore belongs 
to the outer row and the right-hand pore to the inner row. 
In too many cases we do not, unfortunately, know the position of 
the nephridiopore: I have not access out here to the description of 
Plutellus}, but the nephridiopores are there said to alternate in 
position ; with this exception the arrangement is unique and bears a 
most interesting relation to the theory that the spermathece are 
modified nephridia. It will be noted that the distances between the 
outer and inner rows of nephridiopores, between the inner row of 
nephridiopores and the row of spermathecal pores, and, lastly, 
between the rows of spermathecal pores, are almost exactly equal, and 
the pores have exactly similar positions in the somite. 
I have made no observations on the alimentary canal. 
There are 45-54 setz in each somite arranged in an almost con- 
tinuous ring. 
Seta are present on the clitellum. No modified genital sete were 
observed. 
Length 60 millim., circumference 6 mm. ; number of somites 61. 
Hab. Ootacamund ; Naduvatam, Nilgiris. Elevation about 6500- 
7500 feet. 
It is a very strong little worm, and the name refers to its power 
of leaping into the air when touched. 
MOoNILIGASTRIDZ. 
The huge worm which is mentioned in Darwin’s book as occurring 
on the Nilgiris turned out to be a Moniligaster, a form then known 
from Perrier’s description of a single specimen which he called 
M. deshayesii. 1 have since received information that Mr. Beddard 
has described another species from Ceylon as M. barwelli”. 
I found, in addition to the large worm, four smaller species of 
Moniligaster on the Nilgiris, and two others on the Shevaroys or 
rather at Salem, at the foot of the ghaut. 
I have thus recognized seven species altogether, but it is exceed- 
ingly difficult to characterize these accurately until we know their 
general organization better, so that I regard the following very scanty 
descriptions as preliminary. 
1 Arch. de Zool. Exp. t. ii. (1873). 
2 Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist., Feb. 1886, p. 940. 
