140 



Transactions. — Zoology. 



Nuchal Plate. — Anterior margin strengthened by a ridge, 

 produced in the centre, but slightly depressed on superior sur- 

 face : posterior margin rounded ; entire but somewhat irregular. 



Dorsal Plates. — Smooth, highly polished. First dorsal seg- 

 ment with a very strong lateral ridge, continued up the anterior 

 margin beyond its articulation with the nuchal plate ; in the 

 depression immediately behind the ridge are a number of coarse 

 punctures ; a shallow transverse depression about one-third of 

 the distance from anterior margin ; the anterior lateral margins 

 very obtusely rounded ; the plate produced backwards, so that if 

 the line of junction between the first and second segments was 

 continued, the portion cut off would be nearly semicircular. 

 Last dorsal segment arched, margin entire, sharp, a wide shallow 

 depression immediately inside the margin, expanding upwards 

 at both ends. Intermediate segments smooth above, with the 

 margin rounds d in front and pointed behind ; strengthened by a 

 ridge, and with a triangular excavation at the anterior angle, 

 most distinct in the fifth and ninth segments ; a few yellow 

 hairs in, and a prominent oblong tubercle just above and in front 

 of, each excavation, especially noticeable in fifth to ninth seg- 

 ments. First dorsal segment widest ; 2nd to 6th about even ; 

 7th wider ; 8th to 11th about even. 



Colour. — Light brown, marbled with darker. 



Length, 1*35 ; breadth, -8 ; width of head, -4 ; depth of 

 head, *25. 



Habitat. — Tinakori Hills, Rimutaka Mountains, Wellington ; 

 Stratford, New Plymouth. The specimens from Stratford were 

 presented by Mr. A. Burrell. 



No representative of this genus is found in England, but an 

 allied though much smaller form, the common pill-millipede 

 {(jrlomeris marginata), may be seen in almost every English 

 garden ; and in old times, both it and the armadillo wood-louse 

 were used in medicine, and may still be found amongst the old 

 stock of some druggists' shops, probably because when rolled up 

 they look like pills — hence the name ; and when coated with 

 gum and flour and taken with sufficient faith they were con- 

 sidered very efficacious in various complaints. 



Fig.l. 



2. Head, nuchal plate, and first segment, front view, 

 3. Last two doisal segments from behind. 



