Studies on Earthworms. - Journal of Cell Science

234 WILLIAM BLAXLAKD BENHAM.
somite, and in other respects agrees with other species of
Perichseta.
In 1883 Mr. P. E. Beddard (36) described a worm to
which he gave the name Pleurochasta Moseleyi; but
he has since formed the opinion that it belongs to Templeton's
genus Megascolex. It came from Kandy, in Ceylon. Its
length is 28 inches; there are 260 somites, and about 140 setse
to each of them. The setse are not in a continuous ring, but
leave a space, ventrally and dorsally, along the median line]
their length varies from '035 to •066 mm. The clitellum
occupies somites XIII to xx. No nephridia were observed.
The spermathecse are in somites vm and ix, with their
pores in the anterior region. A pair of pores are present
in each of the somites XIII, xvn, XVIII, and xix. Those of
somite XVIII belong to a pair of solid glands, which may perhaps
be prostates, whilst the function of the other pores is quite
unknown. The seminal reservoirs ("testes") are paired
racemose glands in somite xn. Curious kidney-shaped glands
open into the intestine in its anterior part.
In 1883 Beddard described (37) some new Earthworms from
India.
Perichaeta armata (Megascolex, Templeton), from
Calcutta, has the clitellum in somites xiv, xv, xvi, xvn.
There is a narrow break in the ring of setse on the ventral
surface of the somites. There are three pairs of spermathecse
in somites vn, vni, ix. In somite XVIII, close to the male
pore, on each side, is a sac containing a number of modified
spiked setse (as in Acanthodrilus).
Perionyx M'Intoshii, from Burmah, is 15 inches long.
The male pores are not quite so close together as in P.
excavatuSj E. P.
In this paper, as also in the same Journal for 1884, he
discusses Horst's proposal as to the limitation of the genera
Perichffita and Megascolex; he also mentions that his genus
Pleurochseta is identical with Templeton's Megascolex.
A new genus is formed, Typhseus, for an intrachitellian
worm from Calcutta.