568 • PROF. W. J. DAKIN ON 



one of the valleys near Armadale. Under the same log Avere 

 two specimens of PeripaUis gilesii, a slug, and some of the usual 

 small cryptozoic arthropoda. Scutigera was also common in the 

 neighbourhood. 



External characters. — Geoneniertes dendyi is apparently much 

 smaller than the East Australian species, for its total length when 

 living and uncontracted was only 15 mm. (proboscis retracted). 

 The greatest breadth occurred at a point about one third of the 

 length from the posterior end. Just in front of this was a 

 slight constriction, as if the animal had been nipped. It is 

 probable that this feature is only some temporary or individual 

 character of the specimen captured, but as no others are to hand 

 for purposes of compaiison, it is worth mentioning. 



Text-figure 1. 



Geonemertes dendyi. 

 A. Dorsal view. B. Antevior end considerably enlarged. 



The colour of the living animal is brown-pink, but the shade 

 is not uniform over the entire surface. The lateral parts of the 

 body are more of a light flesh-colour and signs of the large ova 

 were visible, showing through the skin. The under surface is 

 pale. On the dorsal surface, and most prominent on the posterior 

 third of the animal, are two dark stripes of chocolate-brown. 

 They are not sharply defined, and the dissecting-microscope 

 indicated that they are collections of little brown spots. There 

 is just a faint indication of the continuance of the stripes forward 

 over the anterior part of the dorsal sui'face. 



Close to the anterior end of the body, and on the dorsal surface, 

 are the eye-spots. According to Dendy, Geonemertes australiensis 

 differs from other known species of Geonemertes in the possession 

 of a large number of eyes. The New Zealand species has only 

 four eyes, and four or six are the usual numbers. In Dendy's 

 specimens from the eastern states the eyes numbered as many 

 as thirty or forty, and they weie arianged in two groups. It is 



