( 389 ) 



SOME GEEMAN ENCHYTEiEIDS. 

 By Rev. Hilderic Friend. 



Shortly before the outbreak of war I was visiting Belgium 

 and Germany, and during a week spent at Neuwied on the Rhine 

 had an opportunity to collect a few of the annelids (Oligochaets) 

 of the district. Most of the species enumerated in this paper 

 were found in the grounds attached to the Schloss, but others 

 came from the woods and fields of Niederbieber, Oberbieber, and 

 the adjoining villages. I confine my remarks to-day to that 

 group of Worms which is known as Enchytrraids. They are 

 usually white-blooded, and vary from 3 to about 25 mm. in 

 length. These white Worms are exceedingly numerous in 

 England, and it was my wish to ascertain how far the same 

 species might be found on the Rhine as occur with us in this 

 country. 



As the genus Fridericia proved to be the most common, it 

 may be well to begin with a description of the genus and then 

 proceed to enumerate the species found. The genus Fridericia 

 consists of Worms which average one-half to three-quarters of an 

 inch in length. They have setae arranged in four bundles on each 

 segment. The number of setae in each bundle, while almost 

 entirely uniform for the species, varies widely within the genus. 

 Some invariably have two setas per bundle (bisetose), some have 

 four, some six, and some eight. Usually the number decreases 



