The Oligochseta of the Forth Area. 123 



Octolasium cyaneum (Sav.). 



Allolobophora siudiosa, Mchlsn, 1890. 



This fine species is apparently very local with us, but evidently common 

 enough where it does occur. On the 19th of the present month (March 

 1910) I entered a field near Thornton, Fife, where two ploughs were at 

 work. Many Earthworms were to be seen in the furrows, one of the 

 commonest being 0. cyaneum. in fine mature condition. I have sent speci- 

 mens to Mr Friend and Mr Southern, both of whom confirm my identification. 

 This discovery brought to my recollection a worm I got in a similar manner 

 in a field at Yorkston, near Temple, Midlothian, in February 1905; and on 

 looking out the specimen I find it belongs to the same species. Further, 

 on 26th of the present month, I found an undoubted, though immature, 

 example under a stone in an old quarry near Falkirk, Stirlingshire. 



0. cyaneum does not appear to have been previously recorded from 

 Scotland. Some of my Thornton examples, when fully extended, were over 

 six inches in length. Colour pale bluish lavender, with the first dozen 

 segments pinkish, the clitellum brownish-yellow (ochre), and a spot at the 

 posterior extremity pale yellow. It does not flatten its tail as Lumbricus 

 rubelhcs, for instance, does. 



Octolasium lacteum (Orley) var. gracile, Orl. 



Allolobophora prof uga, Rosa=0. lacteum (Orl.). 



In a collection of Earthworms made by me in the neighbourhood of 

 Balquhidder, South-west Perthshire, on 2ud April 1910, Mr Friend reports 

 a specimen of a small form of 0. gracile, Orley. Seeing that Michaelsen 

 includes 0. gracile, Orl., in the synonymy of lacteum (Orl.), I here treat 

 it as a variety of that species. 0. lacteum is recorded from Paisley (Friend) 

 in Southern's " Contributions," p. 174. 1 



Of the genus Lumbricus, L., em. Eisen, I have found four species, three 

 of them abundantly, in the Forth area. For the characteristics of these 

 Lumbrici, a paper by H. Friend on " The Annedid Fauna of Worcestershire " 

 (The Naturalist for December 1909, p. 425) may be consulted. 



Lumbricus rubellus, Hoffmstr. 



Very common and generally distributed, occurring both in cultivated and 

 uncultivated land, and ranging from sea-level to far up the hills. 



Specimens (mature) from the following localities have been definitely 

 noted : — 



Morningside, in garden; and Craiglockhart, in field, Feb. 1905; Polton, in 



1 I have since, April 1910, found it near Peebles. 



