NEW SPECIES or LUMBRICUS. 307 



The male pores, knovvn to Eisen as tuberciila ventralia, ami 

 termed sperraiducal pores by Benliam, are situated on segment 

 15, and are borne upon prominent papillae. In this respect the 

 worm corresponds with our common earthworm (Z. terrestris, L. ) 

 and with the Continental L. melihceiis, Eosa, but differs from our 

 other native species. Eosa terms these papillae atria ; but Bed- 

 dard, as I have stated already, demurs somewhat to the use of 

 the designation. In the purple worm (Z. 'purjpureus, Eisen) and 

 the red worm (Z. rubellus, Hoffm.) the papillae are totally wanting, 

 and the 15th segment is destitute of every feature indicating its 

 importance in the sexual relationship. As a consequence the 

 pores cannot be distinguished as a rule, even with a lens. As we 

 find a pair of tumid projections on the adult earthworm (Z. ter- 

 restris) under segment 26, so in this species we have a pair of 

 papillae on the ventral surface of the 28th and 29th (or 29th and 

 30th) segments. This posterior position corresponds with that 

 of the clitellum, which commences on segment 32 in the common 

 earthworm, but on 34 in the new species. 



Although it is much easier to determine the species of a worm 

 when adult than when immature, just as an umbelliferous plant 

 can be more readily determined when in fruit than when bursting 

 into flower, yet in the present instance there is an advantage in 

 the case of the immature specimens over those of other species, 

 on account of the very prominent copulatory setae found on seg- 

 ments 10, 12, 29, 33-40. The clitellum extends from the 34th 

 to the 39th segments, but the two adjoining somites usually bear 

 copulatory setae as well, a fact which seems to indicate that the 

 girdle formerly occupied eight instead of six segments. This 

 point is of value when we remember that in Allolohopliora the 

 clitellum is frequently found to cover eight segments, which is 

 also the normal number in Z. Eiseni, Lev. The tuhercula puber- 

 tatis form a distinct band on either side of segments 35-38, and 

 this striking case of uniformity in each of our British species 

 aflPords one good reason, for excluding from the genus such aber- 

 rant forms as Lwnhricus Eiseni, Levinsen, and some others which 

 have been classed as Lumhrici. In every genuine Lumbricus the 

 girdle occupies six segments, while the tuhercula puhertatis form 

 a band along the four middle segments. I have examined thousands 

 of specimens, and in every normally developed adult have found 

 this rule to hold good. I cannot insist too strongly on this point 

 as an important key to classification. If a worm is found with 



LINN. JOUBN. — ZOOLO&T, VOL. XSIT. 24 



