80 EARTHWORMS. 



young ; the majority are hermaphrodites, the testes being 

 paired. The developiment is often direct ; the eggs are laid in 

 patches or cocoons, and give origin direct to young worms. 



A larval form is, however, found in some marine species 

 (Chiidojjoda) Icnown as Loven's Larva, whose growth resembles 

 in many respects the growth of a scolex into a Tapeworm. 



Annelids move by three different processes : (i) by simple 

 setai or bristles placed in the cutis, Earthworms (OUgochceta) ; 

 (ii) by structures known as jmrapodia, bristle-bearing unjointed 

 appendages (Gluetopoda) ; and (iii) by terminal suckers 

 {Hirudinea). 



Rejn'oduction may be asexual, by fission and by gemmation in 

 the long axis (Cluetopoda). As a rule, it is sexual, when the 

 worms may be hermaphrodites {Oligochtda, Hirudinea) or of 

 separate sexes {Marine Cluetopoda). The food very largely 

 consists of animal matter ; at other times, as in the Earth- 

 worms, of decaying vegetation. 



Classification of Annelids. 



1. Cha^topoda f P°ly«l^a.ta. 



I Oligochaeta. 



2. Gephyrea (unsegmented). 



3. Hirudinea. 



The Gephyrea, being all marine, wo can dismiss at once : 

 each of the other two groups is of more or less importance, for 

 the former contains the beneficial Earthworms, whose workings 

 have been so ably expounded by Darwin ; i and the latter in- 

 cludes the often obnoxious, although at times useful. Leeches. 



Earthworms (Lumbrici). 



The Earthworms belong to the Chajtopod group Oligocludm, 

 which are characterised by being terrestrial, having no parapodia 

 1 The Formatiou of Vegetable Mould and Earthworms. Darwin. 



