484 ADDITIONAL NOTES ON PERIPATUS LEUCKARTI, 



that as in P. Bdioardsi these organs, whose function is unknown, 

 are liable to some variability. 



In the females papillae are not present ; nevertheless in this sex 

 it is not an uncommon occurrence to find on most of the legs pale, 

 frequently somewhat curved, slit-like pits or depressions com- 

 mencing just beyond about the second papilla-bearing ridge below 

 the nephridiopoi'e and crossing the next one or two ridges ; 

 occasionally some of them look very like pores. Their appearance, 

 their position (fairly corresponding in this respect with the papillai 

 of the males), and their number (for they may be visible on all 

 the legs but those of the first pair) naturally suggest the possi- 

 bility at least of rudiments or relics of crural glands. At present 

 I can offer no evidence in favour of such a supposition as in a 

 number of sections comprising poi'tions of two females no crural 

 glands such as occur in the males were present, nor could I find 

 any trace of them. 



Though I have had plenty of material to look at, I have not 

 had enough for purposes of dissection and section-cutting to make 

 out these and other details ; and the series of sections of two 

 males and two females at my disposal, partly from the condition 

 of the material and partly from the want of suitable laboratory 

 appliances are not complete, and in some respects leave a good 

 deal to be desired. 



In P. capensis the crural gland of each leg of the last pair is 

 enormously enlarged and prolonged forward as a long tubular 

 gland, seen in section lying above the nerve cord in each lateral 

 compartment. My two males were chosen at random chiefly 

 because they were less bent than usual, and as it happens each of 

 them is without crural glands in the last pair of legs ; but one of 

 them has the glands of the fourteenth pair of legs enlarged, and 

 in the other two pairs are enlarged, those of the thirteenth and 

 fourteenth pairs. 



As in P. novce-zealandice nephridia are not present in the legs 

 of the last pair. 



