72 cAi.ii (ii:ma acaukmv of sciences. 



fouiiil in one specimen differing; from any other wliicli I iiivoi?tigatecl. Ont of six 

 specimens which I sectioned off five agreed in all particnlars as regards the absence 

 of a prostrate, as generally understood in Ocnerodrilns, neither did seven specimens 

 which I dissected show any trace of such a prostate. One specimen which I .sec- 

 tioned, however, showed an abnormal prolongation of the muscular chamber, in every 

 particular resembling the lower muscular part or the atrium proper of the prostate as 

 characteristic of Ocnerodrilns. It ascended inwardly in tin; cavity of the body as 

 high as to sette 3 and 4, ended here blindly without any differential glandular part 

 or prostate proper, as is always found in Ocnerodrilns. Such " returns " to original 

 characters and ancestors must, of course, be expected, and are the more interesting 

 when encountered. We might on the other hand consider Phtnicodrilus taste as 

 standing on a lower grade than Ocnerodrilns, the prostate not having yet appeared. 

 But against such a view speaks the fact that her organs are as highly develo|)ed as 

 in Ocnerodrilns, which would hardly be expected of a lower form, in which we would 

 naturally look for a lower degree of development in several organs at the same time. 

 A degeneration of a certain organ, however, such as the prostate, would not necessitate 

 a similar degeneration of several other organs at the same time. 



The absence of a prostate in l'h(jenicodrilus is of considerable interest, ami I 

 think it clearly demonstrates that the absence or presence of this organ cannot be laid 

 at the foundation of families. Such absence of the prostate in an Ocnerodrilide is not 

 unexpected. A perusal of the various species of Ocnerodrilns shows us how these 

 species may be arranged in a series according to the size of the prostate, the list being 

 headed by Ocnerodrihia occidentalis, with a very extended prostate, while at the other 

 extremity we find Ocnerodrilu» Ilendriei with the most diminutive prostate, not extend 

 ing outside of the somite. There is thus only a step further to Phoenicodrilus where 

 this organ is entirely absent. That this fact will have some influence upon our views 

 of the classification of (Jligoclueta is evident, and several genera or even families 

 which hitherto have been considered far apart solely on account of the presence or 

 absence of a glandular prostate, must now be brought closer together. 



Ocanj and oviduct occupy the same somites as in Ocnerodrilns and offer no 

 cliaracteristics of interest. 



JIahltdt. T found this species in the Sierra el Taste, in the Cape region of Haja 

 California, some 40 or <3U miles north of Caho San Lucas, at an altitude of 4,U00 feet. 

 Later on I found specimens in great number in a garden at Pescadero on the Pacific 

 coast, on the western slo|)e of the same sierra, but at an altitude ol only a few feet above 

 the ocean. The water used for irrigation was taken from a creek coming from the 

 sierra. 



The species lives in damp .soil and occur in gri'at numbers, nuL mixed with 

 any other form as far as my experience goes. The distribution of the species is most 

 interesting as on the eastern side nf ihe Sierra in the valley of San Jose, I never found 

 any other Ocnerodrilid than Ocucrodrllus Bcddardi. The question if the Sierra really 

 absolutely divides the habitats of the two oidy forms of this fninily found in the Cape 

 Ivegion, further explorations are necessary to decide. 



