^8 OBSERVATIONS ON PERIPATUS, 



Fletcher and Dendy, while quite distinct, is not nearly so boldly 

 outlined as is commonly the case in P. oviparus, Dendy; it is 

 marked out by alternate light and dark areas of skin, the pattern 

 being entirely due to differences in intensity of the brown pigment. 

 This form of Peripatus is exceedingly beautiful; it is a very 

 striking object, and from its bright colour, much more conspicious 

 than its black brethren. When a number of specimens of the 

 brown form are put in spirit together, I have noticed that the 

 latter acquires a distinct brown tinge, which would show that 

 the colour pigment, like that of land Planarians, is to some 

 extent soluble in alcohol. 



Most if not all of the specimens which to the eye or the pocket 

 lens appear quite black, under the microscope present numerous 

 scattered skin papillae and minute patches of the skin of a brown 

 colour. The antennte appear to be the last part to lose the black 

 pigmentation or the fii'st to gain it, whichever the case may be. 

 It very commonly happens that the entire body may be brown 

 and the antennae alone black, and I have not observed a specimen 

 having entirely brown antennae which had black on any part of 

 the body. 



This recalls to my mind a matter in connection with dogs which 

 I have noticed for many years, that they invarialjly have the tip 

 <jf the tail white if there is white on any part of the body, and 

 frequently the tail tip is the only white part. 



It may also be noticed that in Peripatus the colour variations 

 are pretty uniformly proportionately divided between the males 

 and females. 



The adult females are, in my experience, invariably larger than 

 the males, the former being usually from \ to h longer than the 

 latter; and the females are also a good deal stouter in proportion 

 to their size, the males being more slender. 



The males are distinguishable under the microscope from the 

 females by the white leg papillae, when about 12 mm. in length, 

 corresponding to about eight months old. 



Judging from the rate of growth in captivity I think the 

 females do not mature before they are over two years of age, and 



