162 ON A NEW GENUS OF LTJMBRICID^E. [Feb. 15, 



complicated in the first few segments after the l/th than in the 

 posterior segments of the body ; the proximal end of the muscular 

 duct passes into a somewhat dilated pear-shaped glandular vessel, 

 into which opens the nephridial tubule; in the posterior nephridium 

 (see fig. 6) the nephridial tubule is very short and bent upon 

 itself four times, the four tubes running parallel with each other ; 

 at a point about opposite to the glandular vesicle the tubule perforates 

 the mesentery and reaches the interior of the segment lying in front 

 of that which contains the distal part of the organ ; here it ends 

 almost imm.ediately in the nephridial funnel, which is very large and 

 conspicuous ; instead of being a simple funnel-shaped expansion, as 

 in the majority of Earthworms and in the anterior nephridia of this 

 species, this region of the nephridium forms an elongated folded 

 membrane apparently closely agreeing with the nephridial funnel 

 oi Anteus^ ; tliis membrane is composed of the ordinary columnar 

 cihated cells. 



Beprodiictive Orc/ans. — There are two pairs of vesiculcB seminales, 

 situated in segments 11 and 12; each of these bodies is somewhat 

 kidney-shaped and flattened laterally ; the membrane covering the 

 vesiculae is continued over the funnels of the vasa deferentia which 

 open into the same segments. The true testes were conspicuous in 

 a young specimen which I investigated by means of transverse 

 sections. 



I traced back the vasa deferentia, as an excessively fine tube, as 

 far back as the 18th segment, where it appears to open close to the 

 ventral median line. I could not, however, detect tlie actual orifices 

 of the vasa deferentia. Prostate glands appear to be entirely absent, 

 as in many (e.g. Vrochceta, Microchceta) of Perrier's Intraclitellians ; 

 this group, however, cannot be distinguished by tlie absence of 

 prostate glands, vvhicli are present in Eudrilus, H/ec/ascolex, and 

 Typhceus. The ovaries are situated in the usual position in segment 

 13 ; they are small digitate glands. 



The oviducts open by expanded funnels into the 13th segment 

 which are placed close to the nerve-cord ; their ducts perforate the 

 mesentery and open on to the exterior in the 14th segment. I did 

 not, however, observe the actual orifice, which must be well within 

 the ventral pairs of setae, if not actually unpaired and median. 



Spermathecce. — I opened one or two mature individuals and failed 

 to find these organs ; they are, however, usually present to the 

 number of a single pair in the seventh segment. Each spernia- 

 theca is a simple, spherical, or pear-shaped pouch without any 

 diverticulum ; it opens exactly in front of the nephridium of the 

 same segment. 



It appeared to me at first that this Earthworm might possibly 

 belong to the genus Aniei/s, E. P. ^ 



Perrier's description of the genus is not very complete, as it 

 necessarily depended upon a unique example which could be only 

 partially dissected. 



^ Perrier, Nouv. Arch. cl. Mus. t. viii. pi. i. fig. 14. 



^ "Eecherches," &c. Nouv. Arch. d. Mus. t. viii. p. 49. 



