the species belong to the genus Geoplana, while there is one species of Rhynchodemus, and one of Bipalium. The Bipalium may, however, be certainly regarded as introduced, and it is very likely that the same may be the case with the Rhynchodemus, which was found in the same locality (Albert Park, Auckland), and appears to be identical with an Australian species. One of the species of Geoplana (G. coerulea var.) is also almost certainly introduced, being also found at Albert Park, Auckland, and being identical with a peculiar variety hitherto known only from gardens in Melbourne and Sydney.

The remaining seventeen species may, I think, be safely considered as indigenous. One of these, G. sanguinea, is identical with a very common Australian species; but there is no reason for believing it to have been introduced, as it has been found in various localities, and far inland. Another, G. sulphurea var., differs very slightly from a common Australian species. The remaining fifteen appear to be peculiar to New Zealand, though some of them very nearly resemble Australian species, and it must be a matter of opinion whether the slight differences existing are sufficient to justify specific separation. This is particularly true in the case of G. purpurea, which—externally at any rate—differs from the Australian G. coerulea only in tint of colour, and of G. subquadrangulata, which combines the characters of, the Victorian G. quadrangulata and G. ventropunctata.

I take this opportunity of thanking the numerous friends mentioned below to whom I am indebted for the gift of specimens. As it is proposed to continue these notes as occasion offers, I shall be very glad to receive fresh material from any part of New Zealand. The worms are usually found under logs and stones in fairly moist situations, and may be at once recognized by their flattened shape when at rest, their slimy sticky surface, and their usually bright colours. They may be kept alive for some days in small tin boxes with closely-fitting lids, and packed with rotten wood or damp moss. They must be kept moist, and cardboard boxes should be avoided. When thus packed they can be sent alive through the post with little risk of damage, especially if care is taken to put only a few in each box. I would refer those who may be desirous of obtaining further information concerning the anatomy and habits of land planarians to a series of memoirs on the subject contributed to the Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria, from the year 1889 onwards.

Geoplana sanguinea, Moseley, sp.

Coenoplana sanguinea, Moseley, Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science, n.s., vol. xvii., p. 285 (1877). Rhynchodemus testaceus, Hutton, Trans. N.Z. Inst.,

vol. xii., p. 277 (1880). Geoplana sanguinea, Fletcher and Hamilton, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., ser. ii., vol. 2, p. 363 (1887). Geoplana rubicunda, Fletcher and Hamilton, loc. cit., p. 370 (1887). Geoplana alba, Dendy, Trans. R. S. Victoria, vol. ii., part 1, p. 75, figs. 10, 11 (1890).

Having examined numerous specimens from Victoria, New South Wales, and New Zealand, I have arrived at the conclusion that Moseley's Coenoplana sanguinea, Hutton's Rhynchodemus testaceus, Fletcher and Hamilton's Geoplana rubicunda, and my own G. alba are all specifically identical, and I therefore propose to revert to Moseley's original name.

It is a curious fact that Captain Hutton was unable to find eyes in the specimens described by him, for a very closely allied eyeless species (Geoplana typhlops) occurs in Tasmania. I have, however, found the eyes in all the New Zealand specimens, from various localities, examined by me, and am therefore disposed to believe that they were simply overlooked, owing to their unusually sparse development in this species.

Localities.—New Zealand: Dunedin (Hutton); Wellington (Hutton); near Napier (coll., A. Hamilton, Esq.); Tarawera township (coll., author); near Auckland (coll., T. Steel, Esq.).

Geoplana triangulata, n. sp.

Body, when at rest, broad and very much flattened, but at the same time long and strap-shaped; often with a more or less pronounced median dorsal ridge; flattened or even very concave below; with thin translucent margins. When crawling, very active, and capable of great elongation, becoming correspondingly narrowed at the same time; tapering gradually in front and behind, but broader towards the posterior extremity; more or less triangular in cross-section. Eyes as usual in the genus; numerous, but very small, and rarely in more than single series; continued round the horse-shoe-shaped anterior tip.

The dorsal surface has a dark purplish-brown colour for the median two-thirds, or thereabouts, of its breadth. This colour shades off rather abruptly into a translucent marginal band of pale-yellowish colour, peppered with numerous minute specks of dark-grey. In the posterior portion of the body there may be a very narrow mid-dorsal stripe of darker colour. The anterior tip is pale pinkish-yellow. The ventral surface is pale-yellowish, thickly peppered with minute grey specks.

In spirit the body is broad and strap-shaped, bluntly pointed behind, and much more gradually tapering in front. The peripharyngeal aperture is situate at about the junction of the middle and posterior thirds, and the genital aperture is somewhat nearer to it than to the posterior extremity.

This is a large species, commonly attaining a length of some 4in. or 5in. when crawling. It is extremely common in the soil of gardens about Christchurch, being frequently turned up by the spade in association with earthworms—upon which it feeds—and also under boxes, &c., lying flat on the soil.

Localities.—Neighbourhood of Christchurch (coll., author); Ashburton (coll., H. Fooks, Esq.); Rapaki (coll., T. Bone, Esq.).

Geoplana triangulata, var. australis, nov.

This variety differs from the typical form of the species in the absence of the conspicuous speckles on the pale-yellowish margins and ventral surface. Only very faint traces of such speckles can be detected even in the living worm. In other respects it is indistinguishable from the typical form. All the specimens which I have seen from Dunedin belong to this variety, while all which I have seen from Christchurch—a. large number—are abundantly speckled. A specimen of this variety in the Dunedin Museum is remarkable for its large size, measuring 8in. in length by ⅓in. in breadth after preservation in the ordinary way in spirits of wine.

Locality.—Dunedin (coll., A. Hamilton, Esq., and author).

Geoplana traversii, Moseley.

Geoplana traversii, Moseley, Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science, n.s., vol. xvii., p. 284 (1877).

I have not yet met with this species, which was obtained by the late Professor Moseley from Mr. W. T. Locke Travers. at Wellington, in spirits.

Geoplana. moseleyi, Hutton.

Geoplana moseleyi, Hutton, Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xii., p. 277 (1880).

I have not yet been able to reidentify this species, which was obtained from Dunedin.

Geoplana graffii, n. sp.

Body, when at rest, very broad and flat and rather abruptly pointed at both ends, which are difficult to distinguish. Under-surface very flat, and closely pressed against the substratum on which it rests. Upper surface sloping on each side to a median longitudinal ridge, so that the body is obtusely triangular in section, all sides of the triangle being very flat. When crawling, long and narrow, and more oval in section; narrower in front than behind. Large specimens measure as much as 57mm. by 3.5mm. when crawling. Eyes very numerous, and arranged, as usual, in a densely-crowded

patch on each side of the anterior end, and continued more sparingly round the tip.

The greater part of the dorsal surface is very dark purplishbrown, or sometimes nearly black, in colour. Along the median dorsal ridge is a narrow band of much paler brown, which carries a pair of very narrow, and more or less irregular, very pale greenish, bluish, or brownish stripes. The degree of development of these two very pale and narrow stripes varies much in different specimens, as also do their distinctness and distance apart. They may even degenerate into irregular marbling in the median dorsal band, and they appear to be due to a local strengthening and running-together of the small bluish specks mentioned below. Usually the lateral margins of the dorsal surface are occupied each by a narrow band of paler brown, but this is not always present. The whole dorsal surface is flecked with small specks and dashes of pale greenish-blue, clearly visible to the naked eye, and giving the animal a very handsome appearance.

The anterior extremity is dark-brown in colour. The ventral surface is somewhat paler brown than the dorsal, with a still paler, ill-defined median band. It is flecked all over with very minute specks of whitish or very pale blue, evidently corresponding to the blue specks on the dorsal surface, but more numerous, and smaller, being only just visible to the naked eye.

In spirit the dorsal surface is strongly convex and the ventral flattened; the posterior extremity is gradually sharp-pointed, and the anterior rather abruptly narrowed towards its horse-shoe-shaped termination. The peripharyngeal aperture is about central, and the genital about half-way between it and the posterior extremity. The colour of the dorsal surface becomes dark-grey, flecked with minute whitish specks, and With a narrow median band of pale yellowish-brown; usually also with narrow, pale margins. The ventral surface appears paler grey, with a narrow median paler stripe.

Localities.—Gardens in neighbourhood of Christchurch (very common, lying on bare earth beneath wood, &c.); Dunedin (coll., A. Hamilton, Esq.); Ashburton (coll., Messrs. Maine and Fooks); Chatham Islands (coll., Major Gascoyne, R.M.).

Geoplana coerulea, Moseley, var.

Coenoplana coerulea, Moseley, Quarterly Journal of Micro-scopical Science, n.s., vol. xvii., p. 285 (1877). Geoplana coerulea, Fletcher and Hamilton, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., ser. ii., vol. 2, p. 361, pi. v., fig. 1 (1887). Geoplana coerulea, Dendy, Trans. R.S. Victoria, vol. ii., part 1, p. 70; part 2, p. 29; pl. iv., fig. 7 (1890–91).

In November, 1892, I received from Mr. T. Steel three specimens of the curious blue-tipped variety of this common Australian species. Although collected in Albert Park, Auckland, these specimens were indistinguishable from those found in gardens near Melbourne, and they were probably introduced to both localities, as well as to Sydney, with plants from some habitat as yet unknown.

Geoplana purpurea, n. sp.

When crawling, long and very slender, tapering very gradually in front and behind; dorsal surface strongly convex, ventral not very much flattened; length, about 35mm.; breadth, 2.5mm. When at rest strongly convex dorsally, fairly flat ventrally. No special lateral surfaces are visible under any circumstances. Eyes as usual.

Ground-colour of dorsal surface rather dark reddish-purple, interrupted only by a very narrow median band of nearly white.

Anterior tip pinkish. Ventral surface paler purple, under a lens appearing very finely mottled in two shades. (In light-coloured specimens the dorsal surface may exhibit a similar mottling.)

In spirit the body is nearly oval in section, somewhat flattened beneath; the peripharyngeal aperture is situate at about the middle or even a little in front of the middle, and the genital aperture at about one-third of the distance from it to the posterior extremity.

Locality.—Ashburton (coll., Messrs. Maine and Fooks).

Geoplana inaequalistriata, n. sp.

When fully extended the single specimen was long and narrow, tapering gradually to each end, flattened ventrally and convex dorsally; about 66mm. long and 3mm. broad. Eyes minute, but very numerous, arranged as usual in a crowded patch on each side of the head-end, and continued in single series round the extreme tip.

Dorsal surface dark brownish-grey, with streaks of pale, dull yellow, as follows: A narrow median yellow stripe continues from end to end. On each side of this comes an uninterrupted band of dark-grey occupying about a quarter of the total width of the dorsal surface. The outer quarter of the width on each side is also of dark-grey ground-colour, but is interrupted by long, narrow, discontinuous, overlapping stripes of pale-yellow. Towards the margins the yellow streaks come to prevail over the grey, and thus appear to form the groundcolour.

Anterior extremity pink. On the ventral surface the yellow colour predominates, and thus forms the ground-colour,

which is streaked with abundant, irregular, discontinuous, narrow, close-set stripes of dark-brown. A very narrow band of ground-colour at each edge of the ventral surface is free from the dark streaks.

In spirit the dorsal surface is pretty strongly convex, and the ventral nearly flat; the peripharyngeal aperture is a little behind the middle, and the genital aperture about one-third of the distance from it to the posterior extremity.

Locality.—St. Albans Road, Christchurch. (One specimen found on asphalt path in garden; coll., author.)

Geoplana sulphurea, Fletcher and Hamilton, var.

Geoplana sulphureus, Fletcher and Hamilton, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., ser. ii., vol. 2, p. 365 (1887).

Body, when crawling, very long and narrow, strongly convex on the dorsal surface, but capable of being much flattened when contracted. Eyes as usual (? round extreme tip), but in nearly or quite single series. The larger of two specimens was about 45mm. long and 2mm. broad when crawling.

Ground-colour of dorsal surface fairly bright, clear yellow, interrupted by four stripes of dark-brown. The inner stripes are very narrow, enclosing a very narrow median band of ground-colour. The outer ones are twice or thrice as broad, each lying about midway between the inner stripe of the same side and the lateral margin. Minute specks of brown are scattered over the ground-colour between the inner and outer stripes. Anterior tip dull pinkish-brown, ventral surface pale-yellow.

In spirit the body is long and narrow, nearly oval in section. One aperture was nearly central, the other was not seen.

This variety differs from the New South Wales specimens of G. sulphurea only in the presence of the brown speckles mentioned above.

Locality.—Albert Park, Auckland (coll., T. Steel, Esq.).

Geoplana splendens, n. sp.

When at rest, very broad and flat. When crawling, convex above and flat beneath, tapering very gradually at both extremities. Eyes very numerous at the sides of the headend (extreme anterior tip of the single specimen injured). Length, when crawling, 41mm.; breadth, 4mm. Dorsal surface marked with three longitudinal stripes of emerald-green alternating with four stripes of dark, warm brown; with very narrow, pale-grey margins. The green stripes are rather narrower than the brown, and each is made up of an immense number of minute, brilliant metallic-green specks set in the dark-brown background. Ventral surface pale purplish-grey, without stripes.

In spirit the body is convex above, flat beneath, sharp-pointed behind, with the peripharyngeal aperture near the middle of the body, and the genital aperture about half-way between it and the posterior end.

Locality.—Jackson's, on the Teremakau River, west of Otira Gorge (coll., Miss Dendy).

Geoplana mariae, n. sp.

The single specimen when at rest was coiled more or less into a knot; the body being thick and strap-shaped, with both surfaces flattened. When crawling it is long and narrow, tapering very gradually in front, much broader behind, while the dorsal and ventral surfaces may be both more or less convex or both flattened. The dorsal surface may even become concave by curling-up of the margins of the body. The posterior end appears thickened dorso-ventrally. Length when. crawling, 97mm.; breadth, 5mm. Eyes unusually small and few, but with the usual arrangement, and continued round the anterior margin.

Ground-colour of the dorsal surface very pale brownish-yellow, thickly marbled with dark-brown speckles. In the mid-dorsal line a rather narrow, paler band, with less of the dark-brown marbling, but edged on each side by an ill-defined darker band, where the brown marbling is unusually strongly developed. Anterior tip pink. Ventral surface very pale yellow, sprinkled with brown in smaller specks than on the dorsal surface, and with a lighter median band, where the brown specks are smaller still. Margins speckled as elsewhere.

In spirit the body is strongly convex below, much flatter above, without prominent margins; a good deal broader behind than in front, and remarkably blunt at both extremities. The peripharyngeal aperture is situated at about the junction of the middle and posterior thirds, and the genital aperture very near to the posterior end, considerably nearer than it is to the peripharyngeal.

Locality.—Jackson's, on the Teremakau River, west of Otira Gorge (coll., Miss Dendy).

Geoplana agricola, n. sp.

Body, when crawling, long and narrow, strongly convex above, flat beneath; about 60mm. long and 3.5mm. broad. Eyes numerous, and arranged as usual.

Ground-colour of dorsal surface pale-yellow, interrupted by two broad bands of dark chocolate-brown, one on each side of the middle line, and rather broader than the intervening stripe of yellow ground-colour. The outer bands of yellow groundcolour are of about the same width as the median one, and are margined each by a very thin brown line situate at the

junction of the dorsal and ventral surfaces. (A few very minute specks of brown occur in each of the yellow stripes of ground-colour.)

Anterior tip bright pink. Ventral surface very pale yellow, mottled thickly with small specks of light, dusky brown. Three narrow longitudinal bands are almost free from the mottling; one of these is median, and the others are just inside the dark marginal lines.

In spirit the dorsal surface is strongly convex, while, the ventral surface is concave, with slightly prominent margins. The peripharyngeal aperture is spine what behind the middle, and the genital aperture slightly nearer to it than to the posterior end.

Locality.—Lincoln Agricultural College, beneath a heap of mangolds (one specimen; coll., P. Marshall, Esq.).

Geoplana laingii, n. sp.

When at rest, short and thick, slug-like, with convex dorsal and ventral surfaces, and narrow crinkled margins. When crawling, long and narrow, much flattened below; ridged on the dorsal surface so as to be triangular in cross-section; tapering gradually in front and behind; slimy and sticky as usual, but with the dorsal surface .minutely rugose or warty (granulated) both when at rest (contracted) and when fully extended. This granulation seems to be a well-marked character of the species. Length when crawling, about 80mm.; breadth, 4mm. Eyes as usual, but comparatively small and few.

Ground-colour of dorsal surface yellowish-brown, finely mottled with darker tint of same. In the mid-dorsal line is a narrow band of dull orange. This orange band is divided into two by a very fine median line of darker brown, and is edged on each side by a fine but distinct black line. It is also very finely mottled with the darker brown tint which forms the fine median line.

Anterior tip pinkish. Ventral surface pale-yellow, finely mottled with pale-brown.

In spirit the body is very much contracted, short and thick, convex dorsally and ventrally. The peripharyngeal is situate at about the junction of the middle and posterior thirds, and the genital aperture about half-way between it and the posterior extremity.

Locality.—Foot of Lake Taupo, North Island, under stones (two specimens; coll., R. M. Laing, Esq.).

Geoplana spectabilis, n. sp.

When at rest the single specimen was broad, pretty strongly convex on the dorsal surface, flat on the ventral, tapering more gradually behind than in front. When crawling,

strongly convex on the dorsal, and flat on the ventral surface, tapering gradually at both ends; about 35mm. long and 3.5mm. broad. Eyes rather few and small.

Colour of dorsal surface warm reddish – brown, almost chestnut, thickly mottled with small irregular specks of bluish-white. Towards the margins these specks become more abundant and confluent, so as to form the ground-colour, while the reddish-brown is reduced in proportion.

Anterior tip reddish-brown. Ventral surface white, thickly speckled with minute specks of reddish-brown. On each margin there is a narrow band of white almost free from speckles.

In spirit the dorsal surface is convex and the ventral concave with prominent narrow margins. The body is much broader behind than in front. The peripharyngeal aperture is far back, at about the junction of the middle and posterior thirds. The genital aperture was not made out.

Locality.—Wadestown, near Wellington, under a stone, in the bush (coll., R. M. Laing, Esq.).

Geoplana hamiltoni, n. sp.

When crawling, flat on the ventral surface; strongly convex, or sometimes triangular, on the dorsal; tapering gradually in front and behind; length, about 31mm.; breadth, 3mm. Eyes as usual.

Ground-colour of dorsal surface nearly white, finely streaked and marbled with chestnut-brown, and with a narrow but very distinct median stripe of darker brown. The fine brown streaks become concentrated towards the middle line, and on each side of the dark median stripe there is also a fine dusting of very minute, iridescent greenish specks.

Anterior tip reddish-brown. The ventral surface is paler, the ground-colour nearly white, finely marbled with rich chestnut-brown. The brown specks show a tendency to accumulate in an ill-defined mid-ventral stripe.

In spirit the body is short and thick, with narrow anterior tip. It is strongly convex on the dorsal surface, and very slightly convex on the ventral. The margins are without distinct “ambulacral line” further than the usual white ridges at the anterior extremity, and there are no special lateral surfaces. The peripharyngeal aperture is a very little behind the middle, and the genital aperture about half-way between it and the posterior end.

Locality.—Near. Napier, Hawke's Bay (coll., A. Hamilton, Esq.).

Geoplana gelatinosa, n. sp.

The single specimen when at rest was very broad, flat, and extremely thin, with crinkled edges, and very abruptly

narrowed at the anterior extremity; about 28mm. long, and 8mm. broad. When crawling the edges of the body straighten out, and the dorsal surface becomes slightly elevated in a median ridge, but the body remains thin and translucent, the alimentary canal clearly showing through. It now tapers very gradually to the posterior end, and more suddenly in front. The animal was very inert, and it was difficult to make it crawl. When stretched out it measured about 50mm. by 6mm. Eyes as usual, very numerous in a densely crowded patch at each side of the head-end, and continued all round the extreme tip.

Dorsal surface dark olive-brown, with irregular, rounded splotches of a lighter colour, like the knots in wood. Minute pale metallic-green specks are scattered all over, but visible only with a lens, though groups of them are visible to the naked eye as small whitish specks. The pale-brown knot-like markings are somewhat aggregated in the middle line, and towards the margins. There is also a very narrow median stripe of lighter colour at the anterior end of the dorsal surface, but visible only for a very short distance. When stretched out a very narrow pale-brown margin, free from speckles, also becomes visible.

The anterior tip is brown, and the ventral surface is light yellowish-brown, finely speckled with dark-brown.

The colour and markings of the worm altogether formed a close imitation of the piece of wet rotten bark on which it lay at rest, and on which it was almost indistinguishable, looking like a mere slimy patch.

In spirit the body is pretty strongly convex above and slightly concave below, the smooth, narrow margins, free from speckles, being conspicuous on the ventral aspect. The peripharyngeal aperture is situated well behind the middle of the body, but still in the middle third, and the genital aperture is about half-way between it and the posterior end. The general colour of the worm changes to dull purple, while the lighter splotches on the dorsal surface become rusty red.

Locality.—Jackson's, on the Teremakau River, west of Otira Gorge (coll., Miss Dendy).

Geoplana subquadrangulata, n. sp.

When at rest broad and much flattened on the dorsal surface, with no median ridge, with well-marked lateral surfaces sloping slightly inwards to the ventral surface. More or less quadrangular in transverse section, with sharp angles between the dorsal and lateral surfaces, but no sharp distinction between lateral and ventral. Rather abruptly pointed at each end. When crawling the body becomes long and narrow, and the sharp distinction between dorsal and lateral surfaces

disappears, so that it becomes oval in section, with convex dorsal surface. The dorso-lateral margins may, however, be turned upwards, so as to form a trough on the back of the animal. I have seen this happen when one specimen is crawling along the top of another, the upper one being partly enclosed in the trough. Eyes small and rather few, but continued abundantly round the horse-shoe-shaped anterior tip. Length when crawling, about 28mm.; breadth, 2.5mm.

Two pattern varieties are about equally abundant, but intermediate ones are also met with, and both are found in the same localities:—

(a.) Ground-colour of the dorsal surface warm brown, mottled with a darker shade. The mottling is intensified to form three dark-brown stripes, one very narrow median and a pair of much broader ones, one just inside each dorso-lateral margin. Lateral surfaces pale-brown, more or less mottled with the darker tint, the mottling sometimes forming an illdefined stripe beneath a lighter marginal band.

Anterior tip brown. Ventral surface pale-brown, finely mottled all over with a darker tint, but not so dark as on the dorsal surface.

(b.) Characterized by the sharper definition of the three dark stripes and the more or less complete absence of mottling from the pale-yellow ground-colour.

In spirit the quadrangular shape is well marked; the peri-pharyngeal aperture is a little behind the middle, and the genital aperture about one-third of the distance from it to the posterior end.

Localities.—Gardens near Christchurch (both varieties abundant; coll., author). Ashburton (both varieties common; coll., Messrs. Maine and Fooks). Dunedin (speckled variety; coll., A. Hamilton, Esq.). Bluff (a variety with two extra fine dark stripes on each side, and with speckled ventral surface; coll., author).

Geoplana tenuis, n. sp.

The single specimen, as it lay at rest, was very long and narrow, and coiled up. When crawling it was also very long and narrow; strongly convex above, somewhat flattened beneath. The body was occasionally drawn in so as to become comparatively short and broad. The anterior tip was slightly injured, but numerous eyes were visible.

Ground-colour of the dorsal surface bright grass-green, with five dark-green stripes. A very narrow but well-defined median stripe is almost black; on each side of this comes a broad band of ground-colour; then a less sharply-defined stripe of very dark green, two or three times as broad as the median one; then a band of ground-colour of about equal