220 DR. W. B. BEXHAM ON [iSOV. 15, 



Avhicli, nccording to Biichner, ver}^ closely resemble 0. erythrotis. 

 Biichnei-'s actual words are : — " Die Incisivoffnimg ist diirch einen 

 paaiigen Yorsprung des Zwisclienkiefers in zwei Absclmitte, eine 

 voidere und eine hintere Incisivbffnung geti-ennt ; in Form nnd 

 Gi'osse gleichen diese Oeffnungen vollstandig denjenigen bei 

 L. rutilus " ; and on the strength of this I have no hesitation iiv 

 placing 0. erythrotis in the ladacensis (snbgen. Piha) group, a 

 finding with which Mr. Lyon, had he seen specimens of 0. ruiila, ■ 

 would, I feel, sure agree. 



The only other discrepancies relate to 0. curzonice, 0. daurica, 

 0. 'inelanostoma, and 0. 2iusilla, but as Mr, Lyon has never seen 

 specimens or figures of any of these, his conclusions with regard 

 to them must of necessity be of a rathei' speculative character. 



To sum up shortly, we may fairly consider Mr. Lyon's con- 

 clusions as regards the main divisions of the genus to be clearly 

 borne out by the foregoing pages, and, so far as the Palsearctic- 

 species are concerned, this paper may claim to have clearly shown 

 to which subgenus any particular species should be assigned. 



5. On some Edible and other New Species of Earth\vorm& 

 from the North Island of New Zealand. By W. B. 

 Benham, D.Sc, M.A., F.Z.S., Professor of Biology in 

 the University of Otago, New Zealand. 



[Received May 31, 1904.] 



(Text-figures 41-82.) 



The Earthworms that have hitherto been described fi'om New 

 Zealand by Mi-. Beddard and by myself have been collected, with 

 one exception, from the South Island, and indeed from the 

 southern half of that island. The majority of these belong to the 

 genera Maoi'idrihts, Notiodrilus, and Plagiochceta, belonging to 

 the subfamily Acanthodrilinge, and to the genus Octochcetus, of 

 Michaelsen's subfamily Octochaetinee ; and the geneval fades of oui- 

 South Island fauna is very characteristic and quite distinct from 

 the Austialian Earthworms. But I have recently been able to 

 examine specimens of a nvimber of species from various parts of the 

 North Island, Math the astonishing result that they present a striking- 

 contrast to those of the South Island, and as striking a resem- 

 blance to the Australian Cryptodrilids. Even in the South Island 

 we have in two species of Dijwroclioita, and the lacustrine species 

 of PhUelhis, repi'esentatives of the Australian fauna ; but whereas- 

 the species just referred to are by no means common, and might 

 pi'obably be regarded as comparatively recent arrivals, possibh^ 

 even accidentally introduced from the adjoining continent, such an 

 explanation appears to be quite inadmissible for the northern 

 species ; for the new genus Tohea, which I find it necessary to 

 make, is represented by seven species in quite distant parts of the 

 North Island ; and the Acanthodriline genera are just as scarce 



