1867.] The Systematic Study of Annelids. 351 



Kinged-worms and his Kadiata were obscure groups, and the former 

 have up to the latest years been badly treated. Whilst Linne's In- 

 secta have been everywhere studied and ardently collected, whilst shell 

 collectors and conchologists nourish in every small town and village, 

 and over thirty pounds is not unfrequently given for some rare 

 Ci/prsea, but few men are to be found who would hunt out worms 

 from their secret retreats, or keep a collection of their beautiful 

 forms preserved in spirit. Linne himself knew the characteristics 

 of but very few worms, and only made five genera of Annelids 

 (properly so called), making thus a much smaller advance upon his 

 predecessors than in the case of Insects and Molluscs. 



The reason of this is to be found in the general obscurity sur- 

 rounding these animals; not only are they obscure in their habits, 

 hiding deep in sand and mud, lurking under stones or in the cracks 

 of rocks, but the differences which separate them specifically and 

 generically from one another are not at all obvious, nearly all con- 

 forming to two or three types of general shape and appearance, 

 whilst many are minute and fragile. Add to this that they can 

 only be preserved in spirits or similar fluids, and the list of diffi- 

 culties is complete. By some of the authors, the title of whose works 

 we have placed at the head of this article, the microscope has been 

 used most successfully in finding sure characters by which many 

 species can be distinguished ; and under the auspices of MM. Kinberg, 

 Malmgren, and Ehlers, the study of Annelids is assuming a 

 character of certainty and definiteness which cannot fail to attract 

 new workers. Nothing can be more beautiful of its sort than a 

 collection of Annelids preserved in spirits, many having the most 

 gorgeous hues and most graceful forms; surely it will not be 

 long before we have numerous collectors and devotees of worms, 

 who will of course call themselves Annelidologists or Scolecologists, 

 or by some other equally euphonious title. 



We wish here briefly to point out the structures which are 

 made use of in arranging Annelids and determining their species 

 by M. Malmgren and his colleagues, leaving aside the general 

 anatomy and physiology of the group, in which there is very much 

 yet to be learnt and done. 



The term "Annelids" does not convey to the mind of every 

 naturalist the same meaning ; and it is as well, perhaps, to settle 

 upon some one of the limitations of the group given by various 

 writers. Cuvier's Annelids included the marine bristle -bearing 

 worms, the earth and fresh- water worms, and the leeches. Lamarck, 

 Savigny, and others included with these that curious group of 

 animals connecting the Worms and Echinoderms — the Gephyrea. 

 Dr. Johnston, again, embraces in his group of Annelids the soft, 

 ciliated, ringless Turbellaria, whilst MM. Van Beneden and 

 Gervais turn Out the Leeches and admit the Gephyrea. For the 



