1887.] 
Mr Frank E. Beddard on Earthworms . 
173 
In the present species the gizzard lies anteriorly to the spermathecae ; 
in those species where a mesentery has disappeared the gizzard lies 
further back, and in the same segments with some or ail of the sper- 
mathecae. 
Calciferous glands are present in segments 10, 11, 12 ; they are, 
however, rather dilatations of the lumen of the oesophagus than 
distinct and separate glands. 
The testes are situated in the 10th and 11th segments, close 
to the nerve cord and on either side of it. Dr Bergh is perfectly 
right in his statement * that the testes and vesiculae seminales of 
Pericliceta are in all essentials similar to those of Lumbricus. 
The testes in the present species are small digitate glands, and are 
enclosed by the vesiculae, as is also the nerve cord. The vas deferens 
passes along the body just below the testis ; the funnels of the 
vasa deferentia open into the vesiculae seminales, which organs 
extend from the 9th to the 12th segment. 
The ovaries are very large, and are situated in the 13th segment. 
The prostates occupy the usual position. 
The spermathecae are present to the number of two pairs, 
situated in segments 8 and 9 ; the large somewhat pear-shaped 
pouch is provided with a small diverticulum on the dorsal side. 
The only species of Pericliceta recorded from Australia are two 
species, P. australis and P. coxii , described recently by Mr Fletcher. f 
It is evident that my species agrees with these two in a great many 
points ; in the first place, there appear to be no intestinal caeca ; 
secondly, the shape and location of the spermathecae appears to be 
identical in all three species. The first point of agreement is, how- 
ever, of more importance than the latter. In a good number of 
species of Pericliceta there are two pairs of spermathecse situated in 
segments 8 and 9, and each furnished with a slender cylindrical 
diverticulum ; it will be interesting to know if the absence of 
intestinal caeca is characteristic of other Australian species of the 
genus. 
The present species, however, differs from both its Australian 
congeners in the presence of vesiculae seminales in all of the segments 
from 9-12 inclusive. Fletcher states that these structures are 
* Zcitschr. f. wiss. Zool., 1886. 
t Proc. Linn. Soc. JSf.S. W., June 1886, p. 561. 
