670 MR. F. E. BEDDARD ON NEW [DeC. 20, 



present and quite normal ; on segments xvii. and xix. the ventral- 

 most seta is present and unmodified. Octochcetus antarcticus is 

 furthermore remarkable for the fact that the setae of the xviith and 

 xixth segments appear at first sight to be present and normal ; as 

 a matter of fact, the outer seta of the ventral pair is replaced by the 

 penial setae, which occur exceptionally in this species : these setae 

 are very much smaller tlian in Acanthodrilus dissimilis for example, 

 and can hardly be seen until they are examined microscopically, but 

 they are undoubtedly there. The ventralmost seta of the ventral 

 pair is not absent from these segments as it usually is, but is quite 

 recognizable ; this species is therefore in a less modified condition 

 than is any other of the species of Octochcetus, or Acanthodrihts, 

 or Benhamia. In A. annectens and A. paludosus, described in the 

 present paper, there is, as in Octochcetus, a single seta ventrad of 

 the atrial pores. 



lu all the species of Benhamia which I have dissected, the calci- 

 ferous glands are different from those oi Acanthodrilus or Octochcetus. 

 These glands are (in Benhamia) reniform pouches attached to the 

 sides of the oesophagus ; in Acanthodrilus and Octochcetus these 

 glands present the appearance of swellings upon the course of the 

 oesophagus. Moreover, in Benhamia there appear to be always 

 three pairs of calciferous glands which may, perhaps, prove to be 

 always in segments xv., xvi., and xvii. ; they have been for the 

 most part described as in these segments, and it is possible that in 

 those cases (e. g., B. Mttikoferi, Horst) where they are stated to 

 occupy the xivth, xvth, and xvith segments, a mistake of one segment 

 may have been made ; anyhow the three pairs seem to be cha- 

 racteristic, and nearly, if not quite, universal. 



In the two species of Benhamia which I describe in the present 

 communication, the spermatothecae have a peculiar form, which is 

 indicated in the accompanying drawing (Plate XLVI. fig. 7) ; the 

 pouch is constricted in the middle, the constriction not coinciding with 

 the attachment of the single diverticulum. Michaelsen has figured the 

 spermatotheca oi Benhamia stuhlmanni^, which shows precisely the 

 same structure, but does not remark upon it in the text of his paper. 

 This peculiar form of spermatotheca is not, however, found in all the 

 members of the genus Benhamia, for Horst figures the spermatothecae 

 of Benhamia beddardi as like those of the genus Acanthodrilus^. 



For the purpose of comparison I subjoin a definition of Ben- 

 hamia ; — 



Benhamia, Michaelsen. 



Prostomium sometimes continued by grooves on to buccal segment ; 

 clitellum xiii. {xiv.)-xix. (xxii.) ; setce strictly paired ; two gizzards 

 in vi.jvii., or vii., viii. ; calciferous glands three pairs in xiv.-xvi. or 

 xv.-xvii. ; nephridia diffuse ; dorsal vessel single ; penial setce nearly 



^ " Beschreibung der von Herrn Dr. Pr. Stiililmann im Miindungsgebiet des 

 Sambesi gesammelten Terricolen," JB. Hamb. wiss. Ansfc. vii. Taf. i. fig. 8. 



^ "Descriptions of Earthworms. —IV. Acanthodrilus beddardi, n. ap., a 

 remariip.ble Earthworm from Liberia," Notes Leyd. Mus. vol. x. pi, vi. fig. 1. 



