1889.] 



Western Ilimalaijns and Ik'hra Ban. 



Ill 



Fletchei'* has recorded specimeus of tlie same species of worm from 

 different altitudes, e. g., Lumbricus novce-hollandice from the sea-level at 

 Sydney and from 2,700 ft. at Oapertee ; PericJicnta exigua from the sea- 

 level near Sydney and from Springwood on the Blue Mountains. 



There is, I presume, nothing like the difference in climate between 

 these Australian localities that exists between that of any hill-station in 

 India and of the plains. So far as my observations go all the species 

 from hill-stations differ from those of the plains. I have found species 

 of Perichaita, Acanthodrilus, and Moniligaster on the hills and other 

 Sj)ecies in the plains, but I have never found Lumbricus in the plains. 

 I do not know how far the present collection is an exhaustive one from 

 the district, but so far it appears that Typlicviis is confined to the plains 

 or moderate elevations, while there is an undoubted Perionyx from 

 Dehra Duu, and of the three species of Perionyx previously described 

 P. saltans comes only from considerable elevations, P. excavatas and 

 P. m'intosM come presumably from the plains, so that the genus Perionyx 

 is also to be found at varying elevations. 



None of the species in the present collection are identical with any 

 which I have hitherto found in Southern India. 



Perichj;ta houlleti. 



I do not propose to give any lengthy account of this worm without 

 examining it in a fresh state. It is the less necessary to do so as the 

 existing accounts enable one to recognise it with great certainty. It 

 was originally described by Perrier,t and Beddard subsequently published 

 two notes upon the species. 



In onej of these he has described the setse which are placed on 

 the clitellar somites as much smaller than the setse of the " anterior 

 pre-clitellar " somites, and states that they terminate in a " dis- 

 tinctly bifid extremity ; the two points in which the seta ends diverge 

 at a considerable angle from each other, but are connected by a 

 delicate membrane. The opposite extremity of the seta, which is 

 imbedded in the body wall, is abruptly truncated. The whole seta 

 has not the S-shaped curve, which is so constant a character in the 

 group, but is curved only in one direction. As in the other setoe of the 

 same S]Decies, and in the setro of earthworms generally, the middle part 

 is somewhat thicker ; but this region does not lie in the middle of the 



* Notes on Australian Earthworms. Proc. Litm. Soc. N. S. W. 1886, p. 545 j 

 1887, p. 387. 



t B. Perrior, ReoliGrclies ponr aervir a I'Histoire des Lombrioious Torrestros, 

 Nonr. Arch. d. Mas. t. viii, 1872. 

 t Proc. Zool, Soc. 1887, p. 381). 



