17 
A CHECK-LIST OF BRITISH EARTH-WORMS. 
Rev. HILDERIC FRIEND, F.L.S., 
Author of ‘ Flowers and Flower-Lore, Idle, Bradford. 
THE past year has been the most fruitful on record in its 
bearings on the number and distribution of our indigenous terrestrial 
annelids. Hitherto no list has been prepared by means of which 
collectors could check their local species, and the time seems to 
have arrived when such a catalogue should be drawn up for future 
reference. Several ends will thereby be secured. We shall see, in 
the first place, exactly how many British species were known to 
science when the year 1892 closed its record of research. We shall 
have a clue to the distribution of the species. A guide will be 
afforded to collectors who wish to identify their captures, and, 
finally, a list will be provided for checking the same when found in 
any given locality. 
Our earthworms fall under four genera, and number at present 
25 species. I shall give a brief outline of each genus, then the 
names of the species, with the number of girdle and band ségments, 
and their known distribution in counties. The figures in the form 
of a fraction denote the number of the segments covered by the 
girdle in the normal condition, and the number of the girdle 
segments on which the sudercula F Aetbasiee i.e., the clitellar papillze 
or bands, are situated. Thus 2473+ would signify that the girdle 
covered segments 24 to 31, on two of which, viz., the 26th and 27th, 
papillae or bands occur when the worm is adult. 
I. GENUS LUMBRICUS. 
Lip forming with the first ring a perfect mortise and tenon. 
Girdle of five or six segments—the four innermost carrying a band 
on each side. Seta eight on each segment in four couples, the 
individuals near together. Male pores on the 15th segment with 
or without papille. Colour dark-red or brown with iridescence. 
Cylindrical in front, tail flattened. Exude slime when irritated, but 
no turbid liquid. Five species at present known in the British Isles. 
1. Lumbricus terrestris Linn. 23=33. Dystribution—Sussex, 
Kent, Middlesex, Surrey, Essex, Norfolk, Leicestershire, 
Hertfordshire, Somersetshire, Wiltshire, Oxford, Northants, 
Sark, Devonshire, Gloucester, Bucks, Nottinghamshire, Lan- 
cashire, Montgomery, Northumberland, Yorkshire, Westmor- 
land, Cumberland, N. Wales, S. Scotland, Ireland. New 
records wanted. 
Jan. 1893. - 
