222 DR. W. B. BEXHAM OX [NoV. 15, 



ready ; the gods who hve for evei- would smile at the sight 

 of it," 



'' "Worms were pi'eserved in gourds for some time. The T)est 

 kinds were lavoiuite o maiengo of formei' days ; the last food 

 taken by a dying person is so termed." 



Of the earthworms referred to in this extract, Mr. Best sent 

 me specimens of "Tarao," " Pokotea," and " Kurekure," as well 

 as another earthworm, called by the natives " Tokerangi," but not 

 included in his list of foods. 



" Tarao " and " Tokerangi " belong to the genus Rhododrihis ; 

 "Kurekure'" and "Pokotea" to the new genus Tokea. But 

 " Kui-ekure " mchides two species, so that we have four (or five if 

 " Tokerangi " is eaten) species of edible earthworms, belonging to 

 / two distinct genera. I believe this is the first time that the use 

 A of Oligochfeta as an article of diet has been recorded ; foi- no 



mention is made of earthwoi'ms in the sei'ies of Animals used as 

 Food enumerated by Pi'ofessor Lankester in his introduction to 

 the recently published volume of " Reports on Economic Zoology," 

 issued from the British Museum, 



The folloAving is a list of the twelve new species of Earthworms 

 described in the present paper : I desire to express my thanks 

 to mv various friends and correspondents who have so kindly 

 collected these, and other, worms in out of the way districts. 



Earn. Megascolecid.^. 



Subfam. Acasthodrilik^. 



Maoridriliis mauiensis. 

 Octocho'tns michaelsen i. 

 Dinodriloides heddardi. 

 Rhododrihis eduUs. 

 Ehododrllas hesti. 



Subfam. Megascolecix^, 



ToJcea, gen, n. 

 T. esculenta. 

 2\ sap id a. 

 T. ■ureirera'. 

 T. liuttojii. 

 T. suteri. 

 T. hirhi. 

 T. maorica. 



INIaoridrilus mauiexsis, sp. n. (Text-figs. 41-44.) 



A single incomplete specimen, collected in 1899 by Mr. Suter 

 and now preserved in alcohol. It is soft and ill-preserved. 



Loccdity. Aiickland. 



Colour. Pale yellowish, in marked contrast to the usual dark 

 tint of members' of the genus ; possibly the pigment has been 

 dissolved. 



