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Iperipatus, flD^riapobs, an^ 3n9cct9,' 



VOLUME V. (the second in order of publication) of The 

 Cambridge Natural History has reached us, and we 

 are pleased to say that all we said in a former notice in 

 praise of the first issued volume may be said of this. The sub- 

 jects throughout are treated in a most pleasing and instructive 

 manner, and may be read with pleasure and profit by every 

 student of Natural History. 



The first chapter treats of the small class, Prototracheata, 

 which contains the solitary genus, Peripatus, a lowly organised 

 animal and of remarkable sluggishness, with but slight develop- 

 ment of the higher organs of sense ; with eyes, the only function 

 of which is to enable it to avoid the light. Though related to 

 those animals most repulsive to the aesthetic sense of man — ani- 

 mals which crawl upon their bellies and spit at or poison their 

 prey — is, yet strange to say, an animal of striking beauty. The 

 exquisite sensitiveness and constantly changing form of the 

 antennae, the well-rounded plump body, the eyes set like small 

 diamonJs on the side of the head, the delicate feet, and, above 

 all, the rich colouring and velvety texture of the skin, all combine 

 to give these animals an aspect of quite exceptional beauty. . 

 They live beneath the bark of rotten stumps of trees, in the cavi- 

 ties of rock, and beneath stones. They require a moist atmo- 

 sphere and are exceedingly susceptible to drought. They avoid 

 light and are therefore rarely seen. They move with great deli- 

 beration, picking their course by means of their antennae and eyes. 

 • . . The antennae are extraordinarily sensitive, and so deli- 



*"The Cambridge Natural History," edited by S. F. Harmer, 

 M.A., Fellow of King's College, Cambridge, Superintendent of the University 

 Museum of Zoology ; and A. E. Shipley, M.A. , Fellow of Christ's College, 

 Cambridge, University Lecturer on the Morphology of Invertebrates. 



Vol. v., Peripatus, by Adam Sedgwick, M.A., F.R.S., Fellow and Lec- 

 turer of Trinity College, Cambridge. Myriapods, by F. G. Sinclair, M.A., 

 Trinity College, Cambridge. Insects, Part I., by David Sharp, M.A. 

 (Cantab.), M. B. (Edin.), F.R.S. 8vo, pp. xi.— 584. (London: Macmillan 

 and Co. 1895.) Price 17/- net. 



