TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION D. 791 



viduals of which are always close together ; the girdle of six segments, the inner- 

 most four of which carry the puberty band ; and certain internal peculiarities of a 

 somewhat complex nature. Four true and one abnormal species are now on 

 record for these islands, as follows : — - 



1. The True Earthworm {L. terrestris, Linn.), which has only very recently been 

 properly defined, but may now be infallibly distinguished by its colour, the positiou 

 of the setse, the shape of the tail — which is flattened to enable it to grip its 

 burrow — and especiallj' the position of the girdle on segments 32 to 37. 



2. The Ruddy Worm (i. rubescens, Friend). — New, not only to England, but 

 to science, and recognised by the fact that its girdle commences on the thirty- 

 fourth and ends on the thirty-ninth segment. By this means, as well as by the 

 prominence of the male pores, it is easily distinguished from the next, which it 

 closely resembles in size and colour. 



3. The Red Worm (Z. rubellus, Iloffmeister) is the commonest representative 

 of the genus, and has the twenty-seventh to the thirty-second segments occupied 

 by the girdle. 



4. The Purple Worm (i. purpureus, Eisen) is usually much smaller than any 

 of the foregoing, though it exactly corresponds with them in colour, shape, and 

 general appearance. Its girdle extends from the twenty-eighth to the thirty-third 

 segment. 



5. Eisen's AVorm (Z. Eiseni, Levinsen), though inserted here, cannot be 

 regarded as a true member of the genus, as it lacks several of the characters of the 

 type. It is a very small worm, which frequently lives in decaying timber, and has 

 its girdle on the twenty-fourth to the thirty-first or thirty-second segment, without 

 the usual band on the under surface. I refer it to group No. 4 below. 



As its name implies, the genus Allolobophora is distinguished by the shape of 

 its lobe-insertion. The colour also is more variable than in Lumbricus, while the 

 setfe are not always in pairs, and the girdle occupies an indefinite number of 

 segments, on which the pores or bands, if present, are variously disposed. The 

 genus is best studied in groups, of which we have five in our fauna. Group No. 1 

 is represented by the Long VVorm {A. longa, Ude), which has been the cause of 

 endless confusion, owing to its wide dispersion and general similarity to the earth- 

 worm. Its specific nature was only determined half a dozen years ago. 



Group No. 2 contains a species or sub-species new to science, and found at 

 present only in Dublin {A. hibernica, Friend), so far as Great Britain is concerned. 

 It has, however, been simultaneously found on the Continent, but no printed 

 account has j'et appeared. The well-known Brandling {A. fcetida, Sav.) also 

 belongs to this group, and a search in the Highlands might yield one or two new 

 species. 



Group No. 3 has always presented great difficulties, which are now, however, 

 cleared away. The Turgid Worm {A. turgida, Eisen) and the Trapeze Worm 

 {A. trapezoidea, Duges) are difficult to distinguish. Midway between the Mucous 

 Worm {A. mucosa, Eisen) and the Green Worm {A. ehlorotica, Savigny) we have 

 to place the newly discovered Welsh Worm {A. cambrica, Friend), whose specific 

 diflerences are only to be recognised by dissection. 



Group No. 4 contains several worms which are truly dendrobsenic or tree- 

 haunting. They are usually very small, and have their set,«E in eight almost equi- 

 distant rows. The Gilt-tail {A. subrubicunda, Eisen) is the best known, and closely 

 related to this is the Compressed Worm {A. constricta, Rosa), which has hitherto 

 been taken by me only in the extreme South of England. The genuine Tree 

 Worm {A. nrborea, Eisen) lives in the very heart of damp, decaying timber, and is 

 often associated with the Celtic Worm {A. celtica, Rosa), which, however, keeps 

 near the bark, or lies in the soil underneath the wood. The type of Eisen's genus 

 Dendrobcena (I), boeckii, Eisen) may for the present be put here. It has only been 

 met with in Yorkshire and near Paisley, so far as my authenticated records go at 

 present. L. Eiseni, Lev., is very closely related to the members of this group. 



Group No. 5 may be known by the large size of its members, whose setoe, 

 unlike those of other large species, are wide apart. The Roving Worm {A. profuga, 

 Rosa) has this year been added to our English lists, and another species {A. com- 



