24 CALII'OKMA ACAMKMY OK SCIENCES. 



xix liiukwiinl mid Irion soj^nu-iit xiii for\v;ii<l, the distance hctwccn llic two ventral 

 sctie of eaeli .-^ide gradually increases." 



Ilixfiilnifioii (iiul Iniliiliil. The species of the genus iJcltania (lescril)c<l hclow 

 are nndoubtedly natives of the Pacific Coast of North America, and more itarticnlarly 

 of California. Tiie species arc found not only in llic (lolden Gate Park of San Fran- 

 cisco, where llicv niii:;lit have been introduced, but also in localities distant from 

 gardens, and in which no cultivation has ever taken place. Thus I have species 

 from Perkeley, Santa Rosa, Lake Chabot, Mount Diablo, etc. Moreover, since this 

 |)a]K'r was finished in ]\IS., I have found species of J)eltania in localities so far from 

 civilization lli;il llieie can lie no donl)t as to the native habitat. I refer to species 

 found in the high mountains of the Cape region (in the vicinity of Cape San Lucas) 

 of P>aja California, at an altitude of 4,00U feet, in almost inaccessible localities. A 

 .species has also been found in a gulch or river-bed at Ensenada, Baja California, 

 thus proving the extensive territory over which the genus extends. The description 

 of these species must be deferred to another paper. 



As regards Btlfanin duhin {lEndrlhis dubiu^ Fletcher) and Deltauin PouUoni 

 {Mirrosmk.r /-"o^Z/on/, Beddard) it may be possible that the former, at least, is an 

 introduction from abroad. The locality where the latter is found shows the genus to 

 possess a wide neotropic extension. 



M'hile it is thus certain that species of Deltania are natives of the new world 

 and llie Atlantic islands, and especially of the Pacific Coast of North America an<l 

 Mexico, the distribution of Microscolex must yet remain undecideil. Whether it 

 was imported from the Argentine Kcpublic to the Alediterranean region, or vice 

 versa, must ivmain an open (|iiestiiiii. though llie finding of two species iu the Medi- 

 terranean countries seems to point to the probability of thai region being its real 

 luibitat. 



N/yectc\s. (^f the genus Deltania, California now possesses at least three species 

 with the very great probability of a discovery of new. species, as .soon as a wider area may 

 have been exjdored. All the species appear very sensitive to dryness and heat and 

 disappear with the lirsl warm and dry weather, hence the difliculty of finding them 

 excei)t at their pro[)er season which appears to be limited to February to April in the 

 vicinity of San Francisco. The s|)ecies in Baja California were found in September 

 and ( )ctober. 



Deltania elegans. 



Figs. 1 2U, 4;> o.s. 



Delia nin ele(/an)f Eisen, Zoe, iv, 248, October, 18*J3. 



Size about 2 to 4 inches by from /,; to ^ inch wide. Septal glamis very Miiall. liic 

 po.sterior one the smallest. S])ermatlie(;e very pellucid, minute, and irregular in their 

 ])osition both as regards somite and the place in the .•somite, but generally opi-ning be- 

 tween viii and ix. Spcrm-.sacs comparatively small, dei-ply lobi'd, one pair in .\i and 



