COE: TERRESTRIAL NEMERTEAN OF BERMUDA. 553 
a common mass of secretion. The eggs are then deposited from 
both sides of the body of the female and are fertilized by the sperm 
discharged simultaneously by the male. Sometimes several of each 
sex, sometimes a single male and two or more females, or, more 
often, a single male and a single female participate in this act. If 
it happen that a portion of the eggs in any of the ovaries are 
retained within the body of the female, such eggs are fertilized by 
spermatozoa which enter the openings into the ovaries. 
In Stichostemma the process is very similar, although the eggs 
are often retained in the body of the female for some time after 
fertilization, and may be deposited when no male is in the vicinity. 
Several species of the genus are hermaphroditic and protandric 
(Montgomery, ’ 95 ; Child, : 01 ), and in some cases it is possible, 
or even probable, that self fertilization may occur (Child, : 01 ). 
Du Plessis (’ 93 ) finds that in S. lacustre the males are smaller and 
much less numerous than the females, so that a single male may 
fertilize the eggs of several females. This is also the case in Geo- 
nemertes australiensis (Dendy, ’ 93 ) and in the purely male form of 
G. agricola. 
In Geonemertes australiensis , Dendy describes the male as lying 
upon the back of the female while discharging his spermatozoa, 
which then enter the ovaries of the female through the preformed 
oviducts and fertilize the mature ova contained therein. The 
spermatozoa have been seen in ovaries containing mature ova. In 
this species only a portion of the ova mature at one time, so that 
several clusters of eggs may be laid at intervals of a number of 
days. These are imbedded in an elongated mass of transparent 
jelly and deposited beneath damp moss, or under bark or stones. 
Although the eggs are very large, measuring 0.6 mm. in diameter, 
yet the process of their deposition does not cause serious rupture in 
the body walls of the mother. 
Geonemertes agricola is often found with two or more individuals 
in contact, and when several specimens are kept in the same jar the 
bodies of all are sometimes stretched out side by side or somewhat 
folded, but in close contact. In this position the spermatozoa could 
readily pass from the body of one individual to that of another 
containing mature ova. 
Other species of nemerteans have often been observed, particu¬ 
larly in the breeding season, to collect in clusters. The writer has 
