GLANDS OF AUSTRALIAN EARTHWORMS. 129 
deferentia fall into four groups. (1) Those forms in which they 
unite just where the gland-duct leaves the gland, e. g., Megascolew 
tasmanica, M. Dendyi, M. rubra, M. minor, M. intermedius, M. 
Illidgei, Megascolides intermedius, M. attenuatus, Digaster armi- 
Sera, D. excavata, D. minor, D. brunneus, and D. sylvatica. 
Sometimes the vasa deferentia traverse the substance of the 
lower part of the spermiducal gland before they join the 
gland-tube, e.g., in Digaster minor, Megascolides victorie, MW. 
hobartensis, and Megascolew rubra. (2) Those in which the 
vasa deferentia enter the gland-duct at some point along the 
length of the latter: e. g., Megascolex Frenchi, M. Fielderi (3), 
M. dorsalis (3), WM. tasmanica, M. Hoggii, M. Dendyi (4), Diporo- 
cheta Copelandi (=), D. Bakeri (), Fletcherodrilus unicus (2), 
Megascolides insularis (3), M. australis, M. roseus (3), M. tuber- 
culatus, and Digaster queenslandica, D. gayndahensis, and 
Cryptodrilus cooraniensis. (8) Those forms in which they join 
just before the external opening, or they may even open together 
on the surface, e. g., Cryptodrilus iliawarre, and sometimes 
Diporocheta Copelandi. (4) Those in which the vasa deferentia 
open quite independently of the spermiducal openings, e. g. 
Diplotrema fragilis—in front, but on the same segment ; and in 
Acanthodrilus sydneyensis, on different segments. 
It will be seen from the examples given in the second group, 
that there are several exceptions among these Australian forms 
to the statement made by Beddard that the vasa deferentia enter 
the gland-duct at its commencement in the Perichetide. 
Associated with these ducts are to be seen, in certain genera 
and species, penial sete. These are usually situated two on the 
inner side of each spermiducal duct. They are enclosed in a 
sheath within slightly muscular sacs—usually each sac only 
contains one seta, ¢.g., in Megascolides attenuwatus (cne on each 
side of the body), WZ. tuberculatus, Cryptodrilus illawarre, Di- 
porocheta Bakeri; but sometimes there may be two or even 
more in each sac, ¢.g., in Diporocheta Copelandi and Digaster 
armifera. These sete may open by definite ducts into the cavity 
of the spermiducal duct and so reach the surface, e.g. in Dipo- 
rocheta Bakeri, D. Copelandi, and Digaster armifera. At other 
times they simply protrude straight through the body-wall, in- 
dependently of the duct, e. g., Diplotrema fragilis, Megascolides 
tuberculatus, Oryptodrilus illawarre. They are larger than usual 
in Megascolides tuberculatus, Diporocheta Bakeri, and Digaster 
