156 MR. F. E. BEDDARD ON WORMS [Feb, 16, 



very conspicuous coloration, illustrated in Plate IX. (fig. 4). The 

 specimens were all received alive from Kew Gardens ; they were 

 brought to Kew in Wardian cases from Barbados and from Hong 

 Kong ; it may be that the specimens from the two localities were 

 accidentally mixed, but the fact that each box contained another and 

 a distinct species in each case is against the supposition that there 

 had been an accidental transference of specimens from one box to 

 another. The occurrence of the same species of Perichceta in two 

 such widely-separated regions of the World is interesting, but it is not 

 the only instance seen in this genus ; both Perichceta indica and 

 Perichceta houUeti have been recorded from the tropics of both the 

 New and the Old World. 



The accompanying drawing (Plate IX. iig, 4) illustrates the colora- 

 tion of the species, which varies somewhat in individuals, preserving, 

 however, the same general plan. The body is markedly ringed as 

 in our ownAllobophora foetida; there are alternate bandsof olive-brown 

 and pale brownish yellow ; in the individual figured the darker bands 

 are of a more distinctly green colour than in other specimens. 



When treated with Perenyi's solution the green, both of the 

 greener and browner individual, became very much brighter and 

 more distinctly green, and was finally dissolved out when the worms 

 were transferred to alcohol. This change of colour appears to be 

 due to the acid in the Perenyi's fluid, as it was not produced by 

 alcohol alone. 



This species is extremely strong and active and it is most difficult 

 to catch ; the buccal cavity is protruded when the animal is moving, 

 as in all other species of the genus that have been examined in the 

 livhig condition. The length is 70 mtn. by 4 mm. in breadth \ 



Number of segments 86. 



The cUteUum occupies the usual three segments, beginning and 

 ending sharply. There are no setae upon it. 



The oviducal pore is single and median upon the xivth segment. 



The atrial pores are not prominent ; they are transversely elon- 

 gated slits upon the xviiith segment. 



There are 7io genital papilla. 



The intestine commences in segment xiv. ; it has the usual pair of 

 caeca. 



There are, as in most species of Perichceta, especially thick tufts 

 of nephridia on the septa in front of segment vii. 



The ventral blood-vessel is not enclosed by the sperm-sacs. 



The spermatheccB lie in segments vii. and viii. ; each has a diver- 

 ticulum bent upon itselt three times. 



The atrium has a large terminal sac. 



I am not quite certain whether to identify this species with 

 Perichceta snmatrana or whether to regard it as new. The diver- 

 ticulum appears to be somewhat different in form, but this may 

 perhaps be accounted for by the distribution of the spermatozoa in 

 the pouch. 



^ Another specimen measured 3 inches and consisted of 93 segments. 



