Reproductive System. There are two pairs of testes, a pair in x and a pair in xi, and a pair of ovaries in xiii. The testes and ovaries are similar in appearance, consisting of clusters of threadlike processes attached to the anterior septa of their segments, one cluster on each side close to the ventral mid-line. There are two pairs of spermathecae, a pair in viii and a pair in ix. Each spermatheca consists of a large flattened oval sac, lying closely pressed against the ventro-lateral aspect of the body-wall and a small pyriform diverticulum lying against the lateral aspect of the spermathecal sac and opening by a short narrow duct into the spermathecal duct. (Plate 109, fig. 3.) The prostates are long, coiled, tubular organs arising one on each side of xvii, from a slender coiled duct and following a convoluted course through the lateral coelomic spaces of xvii, xviii, xix and xx to terminate in xxi. A muscular sac containing a pair of penial chaetae lies between the prostatic duct and the peritoneum and is attached to the dorso-lateral aspect of the peritoneum. A penial chaeta has a long, very gently curved shaft with a rounded tip. (Plate 109, fig. 4.) There appear to be very small spines on the shaft, but they are so small that it is difficult to distinguish them. There are two pairs of finely racemose vesiculae seminales, a pair in xi and a pair in xii.

The nephridia are similar in form to those of R. intermedius, the tubule being thrown into a number of slender loops which superficially resemble micronephridia.

This species shows many similarities to R. intermedius, but the possession of two pairs of spermathecae (R. intermedius has only one pair) is a convenient point of reference to distinguish the two species.

Rhododrilus benhami n.sp. (Plate 110, figs. 1–4)

A number of specimens of this light brown earthworm were collected at depths of 0–10 in. from Westmere si.l. in a small remnant of native forest (ngaio, titoki, kawakawa) on the south side of the Wanganui-Hawera road between Maxwell and Nukumaru.

The specimen described below is 57 mm. in length and 3 mm. in diameter and has 108 segments. The prostomium is tanylobous. The clitellum covers the whole area of xiv–xvi and the anterior half of xvii. There are eight chaetae per segment, arranged in four pairs. On xxiv the arrangement is as follows:

ab = cd = 1 mm.; bc = 1·25 mm.; aa = 1·25 mm.; dd = 3 mm. There are two pairs of spermathecal pores, a pair at 7/8 and a pair at 8/9, in line with chaeta a. A pair of female pores occurs on xiv, a pore anterior and slightly medial to chaeta a on each side. The prostatic pores are on small rounded papillae, one on each side of xviii in line with the chaetae ab. There is a small male pore on each side of xvii on the extreme posterior margin of the segment in line with chaeta b. There is a single pair of small tubercula pubertatis in the form of a small rounded pad posterior to chaeta b on each side of xix.

The nephridiopores occur in a single series on each side of the body, in line with chaeta c.