110 



A. G. Bourne— 0?i certain Earfhivonm from the 



[No. 1, 



IV. — On certain Earthworms from the Western Eimalayas and Behra 

 Bun. — By Alfeed Gibbs Bourne, D.Sc. (Lend.), C.MZ.S., F. L. S., 

 Felloio of University Oolleje, London, and Madras University. Com- 

 municafed hy The Superintendent of the Indian Museum. 



[Received December 15th, 1888 ; — Read January 2nd, 1889.] 

 (With Plate III.) 

 Introduction. — These specimens were collected and- jolaced in my 

 Lands for examination by Mr. J. Wood- Mason, Superintendent of the 

 Indian Museum, Calcutta. They come from two localities, Dehra Dun 

 and Masouri. Dehra Dun lies at the foot of the Western Himalayas 

 and at no great elevation. Masouri lies at an elevation of 5 — 6000 feet 

 on the southern slojaes of the Western Himalayas. 



The worms from Dehra Dun belong to the three genera Perichcvta, 

 Perionyoo, and Typhceus. There is one species of each of these genera. 

 The Periahwta is P. houlleti, E. Perrier. The specimens of Perionyx are 

 none of them in a sufiBciently mature condition to enable me to charac- 

 terize the species ; they differ in the shape of the setce and in colour 

 from P. saltans, Bourne ; neither can they be referred to P. excavatus 

 E. Perrier; nor to P. m'intoshi, Beddard. The Typhams I have referred 

 to a new species, T. masoni. The worms from Masouri include three 

 species of Liinibrious, or at any rate of some genus or genera of the 

 Lumbricidai, and two species of Perionyx. The specimens of the latter 

 are, like the specimens of Perionyx from Dehra Dun,' immature, and do 

 not moreover appear to belong to any of the hitherto described species 

 of this genus. I refrain from naming the species of Lumbricus, because 

 I could only give an incomplete description and thus hamper any future 

 observer who obtains them in a fresh condition. The literature with 

 regard to the genera and species of the Lumhricidm is already in great 

 confusion. I am now acquainted with seven distinct species belonging 

 to this family which occur in India. 



We have not at present many data with respect to the relation 

 between the altitude and the worm fauna. 



I have stated* that Perichceta stuarti is to be found at an elevation 

 of 5000 ft. and also at one of 1000 ft., but this has proved to be a mistake 

 which arose from my collector having mixed specimens from the two 

 localities. I cannot find P. stuarti at any great distance down the 

 ghaut, 



* On Indian Earthworms, Part I. Preliminary Notice of Earthworms from 

 the Nilgiria and Shevamys. Proc. 7mo\. Soo. 1886, p. 067. 



