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. pi. ii. 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 ai'ter 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 tlie 

 body as a single tube. In MicrochcBta, 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 Eudrilus boyeri 

 there is only a single generative opening, but the vasa deferentia 

 remain distinct. In Microchceta, where there is also a single male 

 generative pore, the vasa deferentia of each side are partially fused, 

 Finallv, in Lumbricus and other genera the vasa delierentia unite 

 immediately behind the posterior internal funnel. 



The nephridia of this species are well developed, and open in every 

 case in Iront of the dorsal setse. The organs themselves are 

 remarkable for the very large muscular duct. 



The alimentary tract presents certain features of interest. 

 The oesophagus 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 Lumbricus. 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. Micr. Sci. vol. xxvi. 



^ lu a species of Pcrichceta recently described by myself (Ann, & Mag. Nat. 

 Hist. 188(), xvii. p. 89) there are two prostates on either side, whose apertures are, 

 however, situated in the same segment, and not in diflPerent 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 whicli case the male 

 generative organs of this worm wiU be in certain respects intermediate between 

 those of Acanthodrilus and Eudrilus bot/eri. 



