38 Memoirs of the Indian Museum. [Vor.. VI, 
Bombay and one from Cochin State. The former, which I have named Erythraeodrilus, 
stands in a somewhat isolated position as a branch from the baseof the Octochaetine 
stock; its nearest relative and probably its immediate ancestor would seem to be 
Howascolex, which occurs in Madagascar. The other, Comarodrilus, takes its place as 
a well-marked genus of the subfamily Megascolecinae, and is related to other South 
Indian genera such as Woodwardia and Megascolides. 
The next most striking feature is the large number of new species which have 
come to hand. Thus of 37 definitely named forms no fewer than 25 (20 species and 
5 varieties) are new ; moreover, even of the specimens which I have referred to some 
previously described species, a number are characterized by peculiarities which 
seemed worth recording. In the genus Drawida three out of four forms are new, in 
Megascolides all three, and in Megascolex twelve out of sixteen. With regard to the 
latter especially, the impression left after working over these collections is that in 
South India and Ceylon the genus has recently undergone a notable blossoming forth, 
with the production of a large number of forms and intermediate forms, and that in 
consequence it is extremely difficult to separate species from varieties, and varieties 
from examples of individual variability. The (Indian) range of M egascolex is of very 
limited extent, yet the number of species is extraordinarily large; and still every collec- 
tor, wherever he chooses to explore, brings back numerous novelties. So Michaelsen 
(14) :—‘‘ Trotzdem schon mehrfach Oligochatenausbeuten von Travancore zur Bear- 
beitung gelangten—ich erinnere an die Arbeiten Fedarbs, Michaelsens und Cognettis, 
scheint die Oligochatenfauna dieses Distriktes doch noch bei weitem nicht erschôp- 
fend erforscht zu sein. Dafür spricht die verhältnismässig grosse Zahl (fünf) neuer For- 
men in dieser zwölf verschiedene Formen enthaltenden jüngsten Ausbeute. Wir dür- 
fen hieraus den Schluss ziehen, dass die Oligochätenfauna Travancores, sowie des siid_ ~ 
lichsten Vorderindiens überhaupt, eine besonders reiche ist.’ And the same author 
found the difficulty to which I have also referred (cf. post. under Megascolex sextus) 
since he continues :—‘‘ Leider wurde die Untersuchung dieser Ausbeute dadurch 
erschwert, dass gerade die neuen Arten und Varietäten nur durch je ein einziges Ex- 
emplar vertreten sind.” It is interesting to compare the above with what I have 
previously said regarding Ceylon (20). The earthworm fauna of the extreme South 
of the Indian region contrasts strangely with that of the North, where there are no 
endemic species, and those that do occur are well defined and fixed in character. 
The addition of a Fridericia to the small list of Indian Enchytraeids deserves : 
mention in passing. 
From the zoogeographical point of view no considerable addition to the general 
scheme of our knowledge is to be recorded. The significance of Erythraeodrilus and 
of its relationship to Howascolex can scarcely be discussed at present, and must be 
deferred till more is known concerning the earthworms of Western India. Indeed, 
this is the portion of India which is most in need of exploration; a glance through the 
table given by Michaelsen (12) shows that with the exception of a few localities on the 
West Coast which may more properly be reckoned to the South Indian region, the 
only places in Western India which figure in the earthworm records are Thana near 
