46 SELECTED NOTES FKOM 



process of Uropoda vegetans to be tubular. I have known this 

 creature to form the appendage and attach it to a glass slip ; it is, 

 therefore, undoubtedly, a secretion, and can be formed by the 

 animal at will. I have frequently found them under stones with- 

 out this appendage. In Mr. Hammond's figures the upper one is 

 a Gamasits, and therefore not the immature form of Uropoda. I 

 have met with several forms of Uropoda, but do not know whether 

 all of them form the appendage. 



I look upon Hermann's Notaspis Cassidens as a form of Uro- 

 poda, and although Koch describes several kinds of Notaspis as 

 if they belonged to the Oribatidce, yet I think that all of them 

 belong to Uropoda. I have found several of his species, but 

 think I have seen none of them, except U. vegetans, produce the 

 tail-like process. 



C. F. George. 



Spiders. — Let students of these interesting creatures examine 

 them whilst living ; at the same time, refer to Van der Hoeven, 

 Vol. I, p. 565, and Siebold and Stannin's Invertebrata, p. 309. 

 They will then learn what is known on a highly interesting subject, 

 and if they are actual workers will be able to add much to the 

 stock of valuable knovv'ledge. 



TuFFEN West. 



Prof. Owen's Hunterian Lectures, p. 462, says : — " The most 

 careful observations, repeated by the most attentive and expe- 

 rienced entomologists, have led to the conviction that the ova are 

 fertilised by the alternate introduction into the vulva of the appen- 

 dages of the two palpi of the male." — Fourth edition, 1855. 



Rymer Jones, fourth edition, 1871, dedicated to Prof. Owen, 

 says, p. 414: — "The impregnation of the ova is evidently 

 effected by the simple juxtaposition of the external orifices of 

 the two sexes ; " giving us the use of the palpal organs, " most 

 probably as an exciting agent, preparatory to intercourse." 



D. Moore. 



Palpal Organs of Spider. — I cannot refrain from saying a word 

 or two. Duge's very reasonable idea that these organs are used 

 by the male for collecting together and keeping his spermatozoa 

 ready for use, receives no refutation from Mr. Blackwall (whose 

 interesting paper I have read), and, I think, falls in with oth.er 

 observations, as to the absence of direct communication between 



