124 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 
BENHAMIA Michaelsen. 
The genus Benhamia was for some time considered a typical African genus, 
and when later on a few extra-African species 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, viz.: 6. Bolavi and B. mex- 
icana, and one, 6. octonephra Rosa, has been described from Paraguay since this 
paper was presented for publication. This latter species appears very nearly related 
to L. rugosa, described below, but differs through the absence of penial sete. 
The discovery of species of Benhamia at Miraflores, in the Cape Region of 
Baja 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 question of habitat must 
be deferred to a future time, when more researches will have been made as regards 
the distribution of these and other Benhamia species, as it is probable 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 chiefly 
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 haye 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 disposal several species of African Benhamia, as well as of B. Bolavi, for 
comparison with forms found by me. This has enabled me to point out several im- 
portant differences between 6. Bolavi and B. palmicola, which are sufficient to dis- 
tinguish these as subspecies from each other, as well as from others previously known. 
At the end of the descriptions of the various new species I append a table of charac- 
teristics, etc., between species which may be confounded with our present ones, either 
on account of similarity of some characters or because of 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, 5 species; Africa, 25 species; West 
Indies, 2 species. 
It may, however, be remarked that 6. rugosa described below is of uncertain 
habitat having only been found in a hot-house, to which it had been imported from 
unknown country. 
Considering our yarious new species of Benhamia this genus may be charac- 
terized as below: 
Benhamia Michaelsen. 
Acanthodrilid oligocheta. Setze strictly paired, ventral and lateral. Cli- 
tellum generally incomplete, but in some species complete in some somites. Two 
gizzards in succeeding somites. Calciferous glands generally three pairs, but some- 
times only two pairs, very distinctly set off from the tubular intestine. Nephridia in 
