124 CAI.II'ORNIA AfAI'KMY OK SCIEN'CES. 



BENHAMIA Micl.aelsen. 



The <;;emi.s Beiiliainia was for .some time considered a typical African genus, 

 and wliun later on a few extra-African si)ecies were found it was supposed that these 

 were recent emigrants, which had become more or less cosmopolitan. Of American 

 species two are known from Mexico and Venezuela, vi/.: IS. Bulari and B. mi'i- 

 icana, and one, B. octoncpJira Kosa, has been described from Paraguay since this 

 paper was presented for publication. This latter species ap|>ears very nearly related 

 to B. ritgosa, described below, but differs through tiie absence of penial setie. 



The discovery of species of Beniiamia at Miraflores, in the Cape Region of 

 Eaja California, in a locality to which plants of any kind have rarely if ever been 

 introduced directly from foreign countries, would indicate that this genus has possessed 

 representatives on American soil for ages past, and that we really must consider these 

 American species as truly endemic. A final answer to this (juestion of habitat mu.st 

 be deferi'ed to a future time, when more researches will have been made as regards 

 the distrii)ution of these and other Bciihamia species, as it is probal>le many more will 

 be found on this continent. A difficulty, which besets us from the beginning, is, that 

 so few species have been properly delineated, all descriptions having been made chieHy 

 with a view to distinguish the species from others already known, while with proper 

 delineations of the various organs, we would in all probability be able to make a satis- 

 factory comparison between species new and old. I have received much aid from 

 Dr. W. Michaelsen, of Hamburg, who has described more Benhamia species than any 

 other investigator, and who has written extensively upon this genus. He has kindly 

 placed at my dispo.sal several species of African Benhamia, as well as of B. Bolaci. for 

 comparison with forms found by me. This has enabled me to point out several im- 

 portant differences between B. Bo/ari and B. paiiniro/n, which are sufficient to dis- 

 tinguish these as subspecies from each other, as well as from others previously known. 

 At the emi of the descriptions of the various new species I append a table of charac- 

 teristics, etc., between species which may be confouinhMl with our present ones, either 

 on account of similarity of some characters or because ol their geographical distribu- 

 tion in the Malay archipelago, or in America. 



As we now understand the distribution of this genus, the species are divided as 

 follows: America, 7 species; Malay archipelago, 3 species; Africa, 25 species; West 

 Indies, 2 species. 



It may, however, be remarked that B. rixjosa describeil l)elow is of uncertain 

 habitat having only been found iu a hot-house, to which it had been imported from 

 unknown country. 



Considering our various new species of Bi-iiliamia this genus may be charac- 

 terized as below: 



Benhamia Michaelsen. 



Acanthodrilid oligochicta. Setre strictly iiaircd, ventral and lateral. Cli- 

 tellum generally incomplete, l)ut in some species complete in smue sumites. Two 

 gizzards in succeeding .somites. Calciferous glands generally three [nnv^, but .some- 

 times only two pairs, very distinctly set oil from the tubular intestine. Xephriilia in 



