676 MR. F. E. BEDDARD ON NEW [DeC. 20, 



the other New Zealand Acanthodrihdae which I have so far had 

 the opportunity of studying — so different that it was unnecessary 

 to dissect the species in order to ascertain its distinctness. All the 

 New Zealand Acanthodrihdae, with the exception of the present 

 species, are either devoid of pigment in the skin, or, if pigment is 

 present, the worms are of a brownish colour. Acanthodrilus 

 smithi is (after preservation in alcohol) of a violet colour, the 

 clitellum being whitish yellow ; the ventral surface of the body is 

 the same colour as the clitellum. 



The worms are slender, measuring up to 75 mm. in length with a 

 diameter of 3 mm. at the widest part of the body. An individual 

 of this size consisted of 114 segments. 



The prostomium completely divides the buccal segment, as it does 

 in the New Zealand species Acanthodrilus novce-zelandice &c. 



The setse are paired and the pairs are equidistant, the body being 

 thus divided into four equal areas. There is no difference in size 

 between the setse of different segments. 



The clitellum occupies segments xiii.-xix. ; it is saddle-shaped, 

 and is not developed ventrally beyond the outermost of the two ventral 

 setse. 



I could find no dorsal pores. 



The nephridiopores are very evident ; they alternate in position 

 from segment to segment, as is the case also with other species of 

 Acanthodrilus from New Zealand. They sometimes lie in front of 

 the dorsal, sometimes in front of the ventral setae. When they open 

 in front of the ventral setae they appear to be particularly related to 

 the outer of the two setse ; when, on the other hand, they open in 

 front of the dorsal setse, the orifice is in front of the innermost of 

 the two setse which constitute the pair. 



The spermatothecal pores lie on the border-line between segments 

 vii./viii. and viii./ix. They lie in front of and to the outside of the 

 ventral pair of setas. 



The atrial pores (see fig. 1, p. 669) are upon segments xvii. 

 and xix. ; their position corresponds exactly with that of the ventral 

 pair of setse, which are absent from these segments. The ventral 

 setse are, on the other hand, present upon the xviith segment ; and 

 the sperm-duct pores lie a little to the outside of and in front of these 

 setse ; their position therefore corresponds more accurately to that of 

 the spermatothecal pores than do those of the atria. 



The internal structure does not present any special points of 

 interest, being on the whole very similar to that of the other New 

 Zealand Acanthodrili. 



The nephridia are alternate in position, as in A, dissimilis ; this 

 pecuharity is confined, as regards the genus Acanthodrilus, to the 

 New Zealand species. 



The dorsal blood-vessel is single ; there are four pairs of dilated 

 hearts, the last of which is in segment xiii. 



The alimentary canal is furnished with a rudimentary gizzard, which 

 needs a microscopical examination for its demonstration ; such as it 

 is, it lies in segment v. There are no conspicuous calciferous glands, 



