156 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



mens 20 cm., while the width is about 3| mm. posterior to clitellum. This and the 

 following species are the longest forms so far known of the genus. The worms are 

 not remarkably lively when out of the ground. 



8dm. The couple 3 and 4 are distinctly dorsal, and it may be of interest to 

 note that in all species found in America the dorsal portion of these setse appear 

 characteristic, while in Sp. tanusls the setse 3 and 4 are ventral or sublateral. I can 

 find no character in the form of the setne in the various specie?. They are all slightly 

 sigmoid, slightly hooked and devoid of ornamentation. There are no penial setseand 

 no modified set.T in any part of the genital region. The setse of Sp. inmesis as figured 

 by Benham are more hooked than those of my new forms. 



Proi^toininm and j)>/[/idvi7n. I cannot find any good characters in the form of 

 these part in the respective species. The small pit in the prostomium of Sp. tanies'iA, 

 described by Benham, is found in all the species. The pygidiura varies greatly. 

 While some specimens have the anal orifice elevated and dorsal others have it central. 

 The shape and size of the last somite varies also to such an extent that no species 

 character can be derived from it. I will then in the following not I'efer to these part 

 in any of the species described below. 



CliteUum. In all the species of this genus the clitellum is very large, occupy- 

 ing from 8 to 13 somites. In Sp. Smithi it is located as follows: dorsally, ^xvi-^xxviii; 

 ventrally, xix-xxv. Continuous all around the body. In all preserved specimens 

 the body is bent towards the ventral side just at the clitellum, and special pains must 

 be taken if a straight specimen is desired. 



Tuhercula pubertatis consists of a very elevated, continuous ridge, which is 

 broken or depressed at the intersegmental grooves. It extends through somites 

 xix-xxvii and is situated dorsally to the spermiducal duct and its pore. The ridge is 

 further generally concave on the dorsal and convex on the ventral side. The ventral 

 area between the two tuhercula pubertatis ridges is thus much wider than in any of 

 the other three new species described here. Anteriorly the tuhercula pubertatis 

 ridge is continued f(n-war(l in a kind of semicircle which ends at the groove between 

 somites ix/x. But these anterior ridges are much lower than the tuhercula pubertatis 

 proper, but nevertheless very sharply defined and distinct. 



Sperinidvcnl -pore is situated between xix/xx, laterally to the seta? 1 and 2 and 

 about three times as far from 2 as 2 is from 1. But the pore is ventral to the tuher- 

 cula pubertatis ridge. This is an important characteristic and only shared with Sji. 

 sonorre. In Sp. tamei^is, Eistni and I>t'itha7iii, the spermiducal pores are doi'sal to the 

 tuhercula pubertatis ridge. 



Ovidiical pore^i are plain in front of sette 1 and 2 on somite xiv. 



Prostate poret< externally not visible, but situated in front of setse 1 and 2. 



Somites. All the anterior somites are tliree-ringed, except i, ii, iii, which are 

 smooth. 



Dorsal pores. The most anterior iwre is situated between i/ii, and the most 

 posterior one between xii/xiii. 



