1886.] LITTLE-KNOWN EARTHWORMS. 313 



generative orifices is certainly shown by the series of variations in 

 Ferionyx described in the present paper. When the male generative 

 pores, as in var. no. 1, are placed very far forward, the clitellum also 

 moves forward ; on the other hand, when the male generative pores 

 are situated further back, e. g. in segment 1 9, the clitellum likewise 

 changes its position and occupies segments 15-18. 



In both these instances it will be noted that the relations of the 

 male pore to the clitellum remain the same, although both struc- 

 tures have shifted their position ; in both cases, as in the normal 

 condition, the male generative pore occupies the first segment after 

 the clitellum. This fact would at first sight appear to be a strong 

 argument in favour of Perrier's scheme of classification ; but in the 

 first place the clitellum extends in var. No. 1 on to the left half of 

 segment 16, and in the second place one variety (No. 3) was 

 distinctly ' intraclitellian,' through the shifting I'orward of the 

 generative pores on to the 17th segment. 



Ovaries and Oviducts. — I have been able to prove by dissection 

 that the presence of two pairs of oviducts in consecutive segments is 

 a reality ; the two oviducts of each side were quite obvious and were 

 each furnished with their own ovary. Moreover in var. No. 11 there 

 was an additional (third) ovary in segment 1 1, on the right-hand side. 

 In var. No. 10 I also noted three pairs of ovaries. 



The occasional occurrence of more than a single pair of ovaries in 

 this Earthworm lends additional support to my identification in 

 Acanthodrilus of certain glandular structures with rudimentary 

 ovaries, and also to Prof. Lankester's description in Chcetogaster of 

 two pairs of ovaries, which has been recently doubted by Vejdovsky \ 

 In the present instance there can be no doubt of the presence 

 occasionally of two or three pairs of ovaries, since they were extremely 

 conspicuous on account of tlieir large size, and contained abundant 

 mature ova. 



In two varieties (No. 5) there were only a single pair of ovaries 

 present, but with separate openings on to the exterior. I have 

 already in the present paper (p. 301, note) referred to the fact that this 

 variation also occurs in Megascolex. 



Spermathecce. — The number and position of the spermathecae have 

 been so constantly made use of as a systematic character, that it is 

 well to emphasize their variations in the present species. They vary 

 from two to four pairs, and may be placed in any of segments 6-11. 

 h\ most cases they get to be placed further forward when the male 

 generative pores shift their positions forward, but this relation is by 

 no means constant. The occasional symmetry of these organs (e. g. 

 in var. No. 12 and 13) cannot be a matter of any importance ; it was 

 only observed in two of the four specimens. 



Male Generative Pores. — The position of these pores varies from 

 segment 14-21, but they were invariably behind the female generative 

 pores ; there was particular relation between the positions of the 

 male and female pores, except that the latter were alwags in front of 

 the former. 



' System ii. Morpli. d. Oligocbaten, p. 145. 



Proc. ZooL. Soc— 1886, No. XXI, 21 



