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Show 174 MR. F. E. BEDDARD ON AN [Feb. 17, (19) Acanthodrilus (Benhamia 1) scioana, Rosa. Scioa. (20) Acanthodrilus (Benhamia) rosea, Mich. Gaboon. (21) Acanthodrilus (Benhamia) affinis, Mich. Quilimane. (22) Acanthodrilus (Benhamia) tenuis, Mich. Barombi. (23) Perionyx, sp., Mich. East Africa. (24) Callidrilus scrobifer, Mich. Quilimane. (25) Microchceta rappii, mihi. Natal. (26) Microchceta beddardi, Benham. Natal. (27) Siphonogaster cegyptiacus, Levinsen. Banks of Nile. (28) Siphonogaster millsoni, mihi. Yoruba-land. (29) Digitibranchus niloticus, Levinsen (? = Alma nilotica). Banks of Nile. (30) Perichaeta capensis, Horst. Cape of Good Hope. ?(31) Lumbricus capensis, Kinberg. Cape1. ?(32) Geogenia natalensis, Kinberg. Natal2. ? (33) Hegesipyle hanno, Kinberg. Natai3. It is clear therefore that the Ethiopian region is very well marked as a region by its Earthworm fauna, but that its resemblances are with Patagonia and New Zealand as regards the prevalence of Acan-thodrilidse. [In this list those genera which also occur outside of the Ethiopian region are printed in larger type.] The specimens of Libyodrilus violaceus I owe to the kindness of Mr. Alvan Millson, Assistant Colonial Secretary at Lagos, West Africa ; Mr. Millson was so good as to bring a large number of living specimens with him in January of the present year. The living worm is of a uniform greyish-purple colour ; it is not active in its movements ; when killed in spirit the worms generally protruded the buccal cavity, which, from its rich blood-supply, appeared bright red. One of the characteristics of the genus Perichceta is that the buccal cavity is continually protruded and retracted while the animal is in motion ; but the protruded portion of the alimentary tract is of a greyish colour, which indicates either the thickness of its walls or 1 Several other species have been described by Kinberg, but they cannot at present be identified, and I do not therefore think it worth while to mention them in this list. I mention Lumbricus capensis, because it is one of those species which I have been able, through the kindness of Prof. Loven, to examine for myself. This examination, however, has not led to any important results ; the specimen was very much softened-a fate which is apt to overtake Earthworms that have not been properly preserved in the first instance. I have found out that Lumbricus capensis is not a Lumbricus at all; Kinberg puts it in that genus on account of the supposed paired character of the setas. The setas, as a matter of fact, are not paired ; the setas of each segment are placed far apart from each other, so that from Kinberg's own point of view this species should not have been included in the genus Lumbricus. I find too that the gizzard is situated anteriorly, in or about the eighth segment. The species is very possibly an Acanthodrilus, but I could not detect any of the other organs of the body, and cannot therefore say more than that it is not a Lumbricus. 2 Perrier (Comptes Rendus, t. cii.) regards this as a distinct generic form; but that was before the various papers on the Eudrilidse of Africa wero published. 3 This, according to Perrier (loc. cit.), is an Acanthodrihu. |
