DAM^US NITENS. 411 



standing free. Cephalotliorax behind the rostrum 

 arched in the middle, but with a depressed antero- 

 lateral margin carrying the first pair of legs, at the 

 insertion of which the width increases suddenly from 

 the rostrum, afterwards it increases gradually in the 

 same line as the abdomen. Rostral hairs near together, 

 rather dorsal ; a similar pair, somewhat larger, at the 

 posterior line of the rostrum. Pseudo-stigmatic organs 

 very rough, looking almost as if jointed; long, gradually 

 thickened towards the distal ends, and pointing up- 

 ward, outward, and slightly backward. Interlamellar 

 hairs long, straight, slightly serrated. 



Legs long, thin, of nearly even thickness throughout ; 

 cox£e, except of fourth pair, plainly seen. Tactile hairs 

 on all legs, but short. A whorl of curved hairs on 

 genuals and tibige of two front pairs, and similar hairs 

 on the outside of most other joints except the tarsi ; 

 all these hairs are slightly serrated. Tarsi with fine 

 hairs. 



Abdomen truncated anteriorly, rounded posteriorly. 

 Notogaster arched, and usually with two irregular 

 depressions near the progaster, and sometimes some 

 others. There are two crosslines like segmentations. 

 A row of about five very long curved hairs along 

 each lateral margin, three similar pairs on the noto- 

 gaster, and two smaller pairs, one below the other, on 

 the hind margin ; all these hairs are slightly serrated. 



Distribution. — This species is often found in moss, 

 but its chief habitat is old decaying wood. It has 

 been recorded in Germany. 



If a few of this species be put living in a glass cell 

 with a small piece of the wood and a scrap of cheese, 

 and covered with a glass cover, they may be very easily 

 reared. They pass through all stages of their life- 

 history very rapidly in summer, and I have kept 

 successive generations alive in the same cell for over 

 twelve months. 



