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THE ANNELID FAUNA OF WORCESTERSHIRE. 



Rev. HILDERIC FRIEND, 

 Great Malvern. 



Though it is twenty years since I began the study of our 

 Annelids, and I have during that period made note of every- 

 thing wliich has come in my way respecting County Records, 

 I find that I have never yet seen a single allusion to the species 

 which exist in Worcestershire. I can hardly believe that the 

 subject has been absolutely neglected ; and should be glad to 

 learn that someone connected with the different Natural History 

 Societies of the County has published lists in some of the local 

 publications. Should such lists exist, my records will be supple- 

 mentary ; but if there are no published reports, I shall be happy 

 in being able to lead the way, by publishing the results of my 

 own observations. The County of Worcester is undoubtedly 

 rich in species, and my lists already contain some records which 

 are of more than ordinary interest. 



Our native Annelids fall into several groups. The best 

 known section is that which contains the larger earthworms. 

 Next to this comes the group which includes the fresh water 

 species, such as the different species of Tubifex and their allies. 

 Then we have the large class of white worms or Enchytraeids, 

 which are found on land, by the side of water, or sometimes even 

 leading a purely aquatic life. In addition to these we have a 

 fourth group, consisting of very minute water-worms, which 

 do not live in the mud like the Tubificidse, but are usually 

 found living a free life among the algae and weeds. These 

 include the pretty and interesting Nais and its congeners. 



We will begin with the best known. It was with these 

 that Darwin was concerned when he wrote his ' Vegetable 

 Mould,' but, whereas he assumed that the British species of 

 earthworms amounted to fewer than ten, we now have a list 

 of indigenous species numbering thirty at least. For a long 

 time all the earthworms were known by the generic name of 

 Lumhviciis, which Linnaeus employed ; but Savigny in 1826 

 used the term Enterion. As knowledge progressed, it was 

 found that there were different genera, and the name Allolo- 

 bophora was adopted for a group which displayed a form of 

 head whose insertion into the peristomium differed from that 

 of the type. A third genus, containing worms of a semi- 

 aquatic nature, was also separated off, and named Allurus, 

 on account of the different form of its tail. 



1909 Dec. I. 



