210 MR. F. E. BEDDARD ON THE OLIGOCH^TE [Mar. 6, 



sections. The external characters were partly observed by the 

 aid of a lens upon the uninjured worm. The species possesses — 

 and this is quite tmusual for an Eudrilid — dorsal pores. This 

 peculiarity is, however, shared by Platydrihts, with which genus 

 I cannot associate the present species. It is not mentioned in 

 Metschaina suctoria. The setae are strictly paired, and do not 

 appear to differ in size anywhere. The male and female pores, 

 each of them single, were quite obvious upon segments xiii. and 

 xvii. The clitellum was uncleA^eloped. 



In the alhnentary canal certain characters are to be noted 

 which are useful in defining the species. The gizzard^ as is so 

 usually the case in the Eudrilidas, lies in segment v. There 

 are no additional gizzards at the commencement of the intestine, 

 such as occtir, for example, in Lyhiodrilus. The intestine begins 

 in segment xvi., and the transition between oesophagus and 

 intestine is abrupt. The intestine is of greater calibre than the 

 oesophagus. The development of the modified calciferous glands 

 which characterise this section of the Eudrilidae is very great, 

 and I believe greater than in any species where they have been 

 described. I find that they extend fi"om segment v. to segment 

 XV. inclusive. As to their striicture, they would appear to be 

 quite similar to those which I described in some detail a few 

 years back*. In the type species of this genus, the only one 

 known, the calciferous glands are less extensive, ending as they 

 do in segment xii. The Ojnterior septa are much thickened. The 

 first of this series is that separating segments v./vi. The last 

 separates xiii./xiv. The last two of these septa are not so very 

 strongly developed as those lying in front of them ; but they are, 

 nevertheless, distinguishable from those which follow. 



The last pair of hearts, as in the Eudrilidte generally, but not 

 apparently in M. suctoria t, lie in segment xi. It is, of course, by 

 means of the re2:)roductive system, that the genera of Eudrilidse are 

 mainly to be distinguished. And it is for these reasons that I refer 

 this earthworm to the genus Metschaina. Opening on to segment 

 xiii. is a single median sj)ermathecal pouch. This pouch extends 

 back as far as the fifteenth segment, and the last bit of it has 

 very thin walls, thus contrasting with the anterior thicker-walled 

 portion. The pouch, as is generally the case, can really be 

 separated into a terminal atrium which opens on to the exterior 

 and the sac of thinner texture which follows upon this. This 

 spermathecal sac seems to have no communication Avhatever 

 with the rest of the female reproductive system. In this im- 

 portant point the present genus resembles Eudriloides only among 

 other allied Eudrilids. 



In front of the spermathecal sac and attached to the front wall 

 of segment xiii. lies the ovary or ovaries. I noted only one. A 

 remarkable fact about this gonad, as compared with the ovaries 

 of at least some other earthworms, is the fact that the ripe or 



* " Oligocbffita of Eastern Tropical Africa," Quart. J. Micr. Sci. loc. cit. 

 t Micliaelsen, Zool. Jalirb. Abth. f. Syst. xviii. 1903, p. 465. 



