134 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



to this fixed point by the retraction of the proboscis. According 

 to this statement the proboscis is used as an organ of locomotion. 

 Now, in the case of the Walhalla species I do not think that this 

 is the case. The proboscis was repeatedly shot out when the 

 animal was irritated, as a gun is discharged when you pull the 

 trigger, but I never saw it fixed to anything as described by 

 Suhm. On the contrary, it was withdrawn into the body, which 

 latter appeared to remain stationary. In my notes, written at the 

 time, before I knew of Dr. Van Willemoes Suhm's observations, I 

 have written : — "■ From the action of the proboscis it may be 

 regarded as almost certain that it is used by the animal either as 

 a weapon of offence or defence, or possibly both. It might 

 certainly be of use in catching food, and it would assuredly 

 frighten any bird who contemplated making a meal of its owner." 

 Locomotion, on the other hand, is effected, as in the case of 

 the Land Planarians, by crawling slowly, the proboscis being at the 

 same time completely packed away in the body. 



The following brief description of the last found of the three 

 specimens is also taken from my notes, and may assist naturalists 

 in recognizing this remarkable worm : — " Length when crawling, 

 about two inches; colour dull orange, rather translucent. The 

 animal crawls slowly on a somewhat flattened surface, elongating 

 its body, and carrying the rounded end in front. It leaves behind 

 a track of slime like that of a snail. At the anterior end is a 

 small but distinctly swollen head, of a slightly paler colour than 

 the rest of the body; but the extreme anterior face of the head is 

 convex, and of a darker brown colour than the rest of the body. 

 There is a ring of very small close-set spots* just behind the 

 anterior face. Hinder end of body pointed. There is an elongated 

 patch of irregular light-coloured spots, closely packed, down each 

 side of the body, apparently caused by some internal organs show- 

 ing through. When lying still the animal is not so much elongated 

 and more slug-like than when crawling. When laid hold of it 

 emitted proboscis for a great length, and again retracted it. When 

 put in spirit it emitted proboscis further than ever, and the body 

 was at first greatly swollen, like a sausage, and then contracted 

 again." 



Of the three specimens one was found under a piece of bark 

 lying on the ground, and the other two under stones, the indi- 

 vidual localities being, I should say, considerably over a mile 

 apart from one another, so that the animal does not seem to be by 

 any means common. 



The time at my disposal for the preparation of these notes, as 

 well as the time at your disposal for listening to them, forbids me 

 to describe all the queer cryptozoic animals which I found at 



* Doubtless eye-spots. 



