(3 MR FRANK E. BEDDARD ON THE 



§ 5. Nephridia. 



The nephridia do not commence until the Vth segment ; after this there are a pair 

 to each segment of the body, not excepting those which contains the reproductive organs ; 

 there is therefore in the position of the first pair of nephridia no striking resemblance to 

 the LimicolaB, such as is shown by Photodrilus and Pontodrilus; on the other hand, it is 

 perhaps usual among earthworms for the nephridia to commence before the Vth segment, 

 so that Moniligaster is in a position somewhat different from that of most genera of 

 eartlnrorms, and pointing towards the aquatic Oligochseta. 



The nephridia appear to resemble those of Moniligaster Houteni in being furnished 

 with a sac-like diverticulum ; this again is a decidedly Terricolous character, so many 

 genera of earthworms {e.g., Acanthodrilus, Microchceta) being provided with such a 

 diverticulum ; there does not seem to be any Limicolous type in which the nephridia have 

 a diverticulum. 



The external aperture is apparently in front of the more dorsal pair of setae, but I 

 have not perfectly satisfied myself about this. The internal funnels are quite obvious in 

 longitudinal sections ; they are placed on either side of the nerve cord, and lie in the 

 segment anterior to that which contains the nephridium itself. 



There is no modification of the anterior nephridia, that I could observe, except that 

 they are perhaps rather larger than those which follow ; the funnel occupies the usual 

 position. 



§ 6. Reproductive Organs. 



Testes. — These organs have not as yet been described in the genus Moniligaster ; I 

 have succeeded in finding them in M. Barwelli. Fig. 9 of the Plate illustrates the sperm 

 sac and vas deferens; just below the vas deferens funnel on either side is a mass of 

 tissue, which I have for some time believed to represent the testis, without being 

 able to be certain upon the point. Longitudinal sections, through another individual 

 somewhat better preserved, have shown that the body in question is unquestionably 

 the testis. A portion of a section through the genital segments of this individual 

 is represented in fig. 8. In that figure the testis (t) is seen to be attached by a some- 

 what narrow base and to be frayed out at its free extremity into several processes ; its 

 shape is quite that of the testes in many Oligochseta (e.g., Pachydrilus, Acanthodrilus), 

 and the minute structure renders it impossible to doubt that this is really the male 

 gonad. 



A comparison of the two figures cited will show an apparent difference in position of 

 the testis and vas deferens, although the two structures themselves have a similar 

 relation, being in actual contact. I may remark, in the first place, that this close con- 

 nection between the testes and the funnels is very unusual ; it occurs in Acanthodrilus 

 aunectens, where I have figured [4, pi. xii. fig. 13] the testes attached very close indeed 

 to the funnel of the vas deferens which belongs to them ; but I am not acquainted with 

 any other species among earthworms in which the same thing occurs. 



