aes 
THE GIANT EARTH-WORM OF GIPPSLAND. 21 
the Phillipines) numerous small nephridia occurred in each segment; whilst 
FLetcHer * noted that in various species of Australian earth-worms there were 
numerous small vascular tufts in each segment attached to the body wall, and 
probably nephridial in nature. Such occur, according to him, in Digaster armifera, 
Cryptodrilus saccarius, Perissogaster excavata, Pericheta tenax, P. gracilis, P. 
queenslandica, P. stirlingi. He noted the same fact also in various species of his 
genus Notoscolex. ( = Megascolides McCoy.) 
Bepparp, lastly, has described in two worms very numerous nephridia as being 
present in each segment, the whole system having a curiously close resemblance to 
that which obtains in Megascolides. 
In respect of having these numerous nephridia in one segment, the Oligochate 
agree with certain Polychate (Capitellide), and the connection of successive 
nephridia has now been shown to be common to the two groups.t 
As already described, when dealing with the salivary glands, these are. to be 
regarded without doubt as modified nephridia. They are formed out of the organs 
belonging to the segments as far back as, and including the fourth. They are arranged 
with great irregularity, forming a mass of minute vascular tubules connected with the 
walls of the pharynx, and filling up all the spaces amongst the muscle bands passing 
from the alimentary canal to the body wall. 
Similar structures have been already described and figured by Bryuamt in his 
account of Zrigaster lankesterr. He does not, however, appear to have traced these 
modified nephridia into actual connection with the alimentary canal, and in Trigaster 
also, they are much more definitely grouped than in Megascolides, and are confined 
to segments 4, 5, and 6, but they possess the same intra-cellular duct, and the network 
of minute blood-vessels, so characteristic of nephridial tubules. In all the segments 
behind the first four, the nephridia are seen, when the worm’s body is opened, to 
have the form of numerous minute vascular-looking tufts attached to the body wall. 
(Plate 1, fig. 2; plate 5, figs. 21 and 22.) Variations in the number, distribution, 
and structure of the nephridia are to be detected in various parts of the body, and 
the whole system is, in certain respects, more interesting than that of any earth-worm 
yet described. There are two distinct hinds of nephiridia present —(1) An enormous 
number of small nephridia (cf. Plate 1, fie. 2; plate 5, fig. 22), which lies so close to 
one another that the shape of each separate one cannot be distinguished. Though 
they vary somewhat in form, each appears to be always composed of at least two 
divisions—(1) A small, somewhat straight, tube, and (2) a larger coiled part. 
These small nephridia are present in every segment after the fourth. They are 
most largely developed in the clitellar region, where they form an almost complete 
* Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., various papers on Australian Earth-worms. 1886 and 1887. 
+ CunninecHam. Q.J.M.S. Nov. 1887. Nature, June 16,1887. Brepparp, Op. cit. Spencer, 
Proc. R.S. Victoria. Oct. 1887. 
t QJ.M.S. August 1886. 
