509
The genus Serpula has been submitted to a more parti-cular examination by Philippi (Archiv , 1844, Bd. i, p. 186,or Froriep’s n. Notiz. Nr. 731, 1845, p. 73). He has em-ployed the nature of the operculum in the various Serpuke,as a very good character for the formation of subgenera,and has, in accordance with this, added to the already re-cognised subgenera Serpula, Vermilia, Lam., Cymospira,Sav., Galeolaria, Lam., Spirorbis, Lam., Protula, Ris., thefollowing additional new ones, viz. : Placostegus, Pomatoceros,Eupomaius, and Psygmobranchus. The species have beenarranged by Phillippi in accordance with this classificationof the genera, and fifteen new species are added.
CHiETOPODES abranchiati. Very copious and valuableresearches, respecting the various species of Earth-worm,have been published by Hoffmeister. (De vermibus quibusdamad genus Lumbricorum pertinentibus, Dissert. Berol. 1842,and in these Archiv , 1843, Bd. i, p. 183.) He properlyobjects to the previous zoological works on the genus Lum-bricus, that the hitherto admitted specific distinctions havebeen founded upon unessential and mutable characters, suchas the situation of the clitellum and the position of thevulva, since these parts have no determinate position; noris the number and situation of the pores below the clitellumconstant. On the other hand, Hoffmeister adduces theform of the upper lip as an infallible and immutable cha-racter, which is applicable also in young and asexualindividuals, in wdiicli both the clitellum and genital orificesare wanting. The position of the clitellum and of the vulva,the proportionate length of the body to its thickness, theform of the separate segments, of the body, that of the tail,and the colour of the integument are employed only assubordinate specific characters. In accordance with this,Hoffmeister institutes the five genera, Lumbricus, Rhynchel-mis, Haplotaxis, Enchytraus, and Samuris; in the distin-guishing of these, however, reference is made to the pedicelli,viz. : whether they are disposed in two or four series;whether they are placed singly, in pairs, in three to four, or