434 Records of the Indian Museum. [Vol. XXIV, 



Pheretima houlleti (E. Perrier). 



Bombay. Coll. Prof. J. P. Mullan. 



Dehra Dun; compound of Forest Research Institute (serial No. m of 



27viii'i92i). 

 Cherrapunji, Assam ; under stones and in muddy pools around Dak 



Bungalow. 28 - x - i92i. S- I-. Hora. Two specimens. 



Pheretima posthuma (I,. Vaill.). 



Dehra Dun ; compound of Forest Research Institute (serial No. 1 1 1 of 

 27'viiii92i). 



Pheretima suctoria Mich. 

 Bombay. Coll. Prof. J. P. Mullan. 



As the species has been met with only once previously, and 

 as the present specimen shows a few variations from the descrip- 

 tion given by Michaelsen (3), I add the following notes : — 



Length 205 mm. Diameter 6 mm. Colour a dark brown 

 dorsally, paler ventrally. Prostomium small, epilobous 4/5 ; the 

 grooves at the sides of the prostomium are hardly different from 

 the numerous other longitudinal grooves round the mouth on the 

 first segment ; the backwardly extending process (tongue) of the 

 prostomium not cut off by a groove behind. Dorsal pores from 

 13/14; perhaps a rudimentary pore in 12/13, — a deepening of the 

 intersegmental groove in the middoisal line. 



The setae are larger on the anterior segments (ij-vi). 



The characteristic male area may be described as follows : — 

 On segment xviii, taking up the whole length of the segment, are 

 a pair of raised circular dise-like areas with well defined margins ; 

 the interval between these discs is less than the diameter of one 

 of them, and shows seven setae intervening. There are also one 

 or two setae on the inner and outer edges of the discs, — i.e. the 

 setal ring is continued a little way into the discs at each side. 

 The male pore is situated at the centre of the disc on a tiny 

 papilla; and a faint ridge runs transversely across each disc in 

 the line of the setae and of the male pore ; behind the ridge, and 

 also transverse in direction, is a slight depression. The discs are 

 light in colour. 



Michaelsen places the male pores at the outer border of the 

 discs, about one-third of the circumference apart. This did not 

 seem to be the case here ; and from internal examination also 

 the male apertures cannot be so far apart as that, — scarcely, I 

 think, as much as one-fourth of the circumference apart. 



The female pore appeared to be single, in a small depression. 



Septum 4/5 was slightly thickened ; 5/6, 6/7 and 7/8 were 

 very stout; 10/n was moderately thick, n/12 and 12/13 decreas- 

 ingly so. 



The testis sacs were large, and came up laterally round the 

 alimentary canal on each side, leaving the dorsal surface of the 

 gut uncovered. In segm. xi the sacs enclose the hearts and cover 

 in the seminal vesicles also ; in x they enclose the hearts (though 



