NEW BRITISH WORMS. 
Rev. HILDERIC FRIEND, F.L.S 
I RECENTLY received a consignment of earth-worms from the 
neighbourhood of Bangor, which contained, in addition to some 
species new to Wales, one which is new to Britain, and probably to 
science also. I have named it AMurus tetragonurus, and my reason 
May at once be assigned. In 1874 Dr. Gustaf Eisen published in 
the Ofversigt af Kongl. panties No. 2, a paper on New 
W 
England and Canadian which he described, among 
Others, a tiny species from Siac “which he regarded as the type 
a new genus. The us he named TZefragonurus or the 
gen 
quadrangular-tailed, and supplied the following diagnosis :— 
‘Body cylindrical in front, quadrangular behind. Male pores 
on segment 11 bs the r2th segment according to our method of 
reckoning]; sete in oa as pairs. Lip or prostomium not 
dividing the first ring or peristomium. It comes nearest to the genus 
Allurus, from which, however, it is ee by the position of 
the male pore, which in A//urus is on segment 12 [= 13 in English], 
but in Zétragonurus on 11 [= 12], as wen as by the lip failing to 
cut into the buccal segment or peristomium.’ 
Eisen next supplies the specific jeaee of Zetragonurus pupa. 
‘Lip or prostomium small, acuminate in front, pallid, not dividing 
the peristomium. Male pores small, but conspicuous. The girdle 
Prominent, usually composed of five segments, viz., 17-21 [= 18-22]. 
Tubercula pubertatis conspicuous, three on each sidé of the girdle, 
occupying the 18th, roth, and zoth segments [= 19, 20, 21]. 
About 40 segments in all; length about 25 mm.’ Some Swedish 
comments are added, from which, in addition to the foregoing facts, 
we learn that there are only ten segments between the male pore 
and the first body segment ; the tubercula are in the form of a wart- 
like prominence or keel, extending over three segments ; the girdle 
is well-marked and easily distinguished from the adjoining portions, 
and stretches over five segments, one of which is before and 
the other behind the segments bearing the tubercula; the colour 
is sienna brown, becoming light red on the back part. The 
worm closely resembles A/urus, to which it approaches more 
nearly than to any other, if one has regard to the living form ; 
while it also sate similar habitats, namely, such places as 
lie near to water 
Feb, 1893. 
