ON CALIFORNIA EUDRILID.E. 



r,Y OrSTAV EI«EN. 



The California Oligochivts, to bo described below, are all related to the well- 

 known g'enera Microseolcx, Pontodi-iUis, Plutellus, etc., referred by Benham, Rosa 

 and others to (he genei'al family of Eudrilida^, and by Beddard to his family Crypto- 

 drilidu'. I will not here discuss the relative merits of the respective families, as the 

 number of species belonging to them is hardly sufficient to enable us to as yet come to 

 any definite conclusion. For the present, at least, I retain these genera in the family 

 of Eudrili(he. But I must concede that this family, as defined by the above investi- 

 gators, contains two distinct main types — one represented by Eudrilus and the other 

 by Microscolex — and a separation in families should be made in reference to them, 

 though I am not prepared to make the separation as wide as Beddard has done. Our 

 California species ally themselves to the Microscolex group, and especially to Micro- 

 scolex and Plutellus. A species of Pontodrihts was found too late to be included. I 

 believe this family may be conveniently divided into several subfamilies based upon 

 the openings of the spermducts, prostates, penial sacs, as well as ujion the location of 

 the nephridio-pores. Our California forms may thus be grouped as follows: 



PONTODRILINI. 



The eight seta3 are separato though in fonr couples on every somite. 

 Clitellnm complete. 

 Male pore in somite xviii. 



Nephi'idiii — mega-nephridia only — commence posteriorly to somite xiii; the pores are in line with setaj 2', 

 not alternating in position. 



The prostate receives the sperraduct previous to its entering the maleijore. 



No gizzard, no typhlosole, no subneural vessel. Poxtodrilu.s E. P., I8S1. 



Photodrilus Girard, 1887. 



MICROSCOLECINI. 



Eight setaa separate in four couples ; the set;n of the inner conples not always parallel. 



Clitellum complete. 



Male pore iu somite xvii. 



The pi-ostate receives the spermduct previous to its entering the male pore; or opens separately iu the same 

 somite. 



The nephridia commence anterior to somite v; the nephridia in line with one of the setas S or 4. The first 

 few anterior pores may open iu front of a diflerent seta> from the posterior ones. 



No gizzard, no typhlosole, uo subneural vessel. Kkododrilus Beddard, 18S9. 



Microscolex Rosa, 1SS7. 

 Dbltania Eisen, 189.'<. 



Pl.UTEI.LINl. 



Set:e eight, iu couples or equidistant. 

 Clitellum perfect or imperfect. 

 M.ale poi"es iu xviii. 



The prostate either receives the spermduct or it opens separately, but in the same pore. 

 The uephridio-pores show a systematic .alternation in position either iu front of or outside of the seta). 

 A gizzard; a small typhlosole may be present Plutellus Perrier, 187.S. 



Aroiloi'iiilus Eisen, 189.1. 



