LAXD-PLANARIANS FROM WEST AUSTRALIA, 699 



this coloux\ All the dark stripes are visible from the cloi'sai 

 surface only, the outer paired stripe being supramarginal. The 

 body in section is oval, but somewhat flattened below. The 

 largest specimen now measures 35 mm. in length by barely 3 mm. 

 in greatest breadth. 



This species has not previously been recorded from Tasmania. 



Geoplana nichollsi sp. u. 



? Geoplana diemenensis, pars, Dendy [1894]. 



? Artioposthia diamenensis, pars, von Graft' [1899]. 



? Geoplana diemenensis Steel [1901 his\ 



This species was obtained on Maria Island by Dr. G. E. 

 Nicholls and again at the Great Lake. The Maria Island 

 specimens may be regarded as the types of the species. Tlie 

 Great Lake specimens differ but slightly. 



The Maria Island specimens, in life, were considerably 

 flattened even when crawling, but slightly convex above. Body 

 tapering gradually in front to narrow, horseshoe-shaped tip. 

 Posterior end bluntly pointed. Eyes as usual. Dorsal surface 

 pale grey, finely mottled with dark brown, and with fine median 

 dark brown stripe. Yentral surface pale grey, nearly white, 

 without markings. Anterior tip light brown on both surfaces, 

 or pinkish. A specimen, when crawling, measured 50 mm. in 

 length by 4 '5 mm. in greatest breadth (not far from the posterior 

 end). When put in spirit the lateral margins turn in and 

 become visible from the ventral svirface as two narrow, mottled 

 bands, one on either side of the broad creeping sole, foi'ming two 

 narrow lateral surfaces sloping downwards and inwards from the 

 much flattened dorsal surface, which they join at an acute angle. 

 In spirit the peripharyngeal aperture is situated not far fi'om 

 the middle of tdie body and the genital aperture I'ather nearer to 

 it than to the postei'ior end. 



In the spirit-specimens the mottlings have a distinct pvirple 

 tinge and show a slight tendency to arrange themselves in six 

 longitudinal bands on the true dorsal surface, three on each side 

 of the narrow median dark stripe, the outer band on each side 

 being close to the dorso-lateral margin. The largest spirit- 

 specimen measures 32 mm. in length by 4 mm. in gi'eatest 

 breadth. 



One of the Maria Island specimens was s];>ecially noted during 

 life as being very dark brown dorsally. Narrow median stripe 

 and mottlings still visible. In addition also microscopic specks 

 of bluish white thickly dusted over dorsal surface. 



The following notes were made on living specimens collected 

 in the neighbourhood of the Great Lake : — " When at rest veiy 

 " broad and much flattened on both surfaces. When crawling 

 " long and narrow, with horseshoe-shaped anterior tip and pointed 

 " posterior extremity. Eyes as usual. Dorsal surface pale grey 

 " with narrow longitudinal stripe of dai'k grey-brown down the 

 " middle, and thickly marbled with olive-brown,, the markings. 



