204 PROF. W. B, BENHAM ON AQUATIC [NoV. 3, 



Tasmania, and not in New Zealand, for the genus Notoscolex is 

 common in the former locality, and has never been recognised 

 amongst the numerous collections of New-Zealand worms examined 

 by Beddard or by myself. 



Again, Baird described " Megascolex antarcticus " from New 

 Zealand — this in all probability should be placed in my genus 

 Plagiochceta. With these two doubtful exceptions, then, the only 

 representatives in the New-Zealand area of the extensive sub- 

 family Megascolecinse are : — 



Diporochceta intermedia Beddard, 

 D. chathamensis Benham, 

 D. aquatica, sp. n., 

 and Plutelhts lacustris, sp. n. ; 



and the occurrence of these four species is rather difficult of 

 explanation, for the subfamily is characteristic of Australia, and, if 

 we except the Malayan Fheretima, is almost confined to Australia 

 and Ceylon. 



The remaining species belong to common and probably wide- 

 spread aquatic genera, viz., Limnodrilus, Tuhifex, Enchytroeus, 

 Achceta, and Haplotaxis. 



Of the first two genera, representatives have already been 

 referred to by Beddard as occurring in this colony, but no 

 description of the species has been published. Of the Enchytrseidse 

 Beddard* has recorded Henlea ventriculosa and Fridericia galba 

 {=F. a7itarctica ^edd.), both of which are terrestrial species living 

 in swampy places ; while of Haplotaxis we already know H. smithi 

 Beddard from this country. 



A special interest appears to be connected with some of the 

 new species described in this paper, in that they were obtained 

 from very considerable depths ; at any rate the soundings given by 

 Mr. Lucas for the hauls enumerated below imply that the worms 

 were obtained from the bottom, and, moreover, the intestine is 

 loaded with mud- and diatom- valves ; although I do not know what 

 means, if any, were employed to prevent the entrance of organisms 

 as the dredge was pulled up through the water. The absence 

 from this collection of the families Naididse, ^olosomatidse, and 

 Lumbriculidse seems to indicate that some such means were em- 

 ployed, as these families occur in shallower waters amongst water- 

 weeds ; and representatives of Naids and Lumbriculids do occur 

 in New Zealand, as I have collected them in the neighbourhood 

 of Dunedin, but I have not yet worked them out. 



List of Worms obtained by Mr. K. Lucas, and described 

 in the present paper. 



Fam. PHREODRILID.E. 



1. Phreodrilus lacustris, sp. n. 



2. P. mauianus, sp. n. 



* Beddardj Proc. R. Phys. Soc. Ediub. xii. p. 41. 



