412 BKITISH OlilBATIDJ^;. 



DaM^US VERTIOILLIPES,* Nic, PI. XXXVII. 



Damceus verticillipes, Nic. P. 462, pi. viii, fig. 2. 

 Nothrus pollinosus, Koch. Heft 29, pi. xii, p. 



Average length about '36 mm. 



Average breadth about 20 mm. 



Average length of legs (first pair) about '27 mm. 



Average length of legs (second pair) about '20 mm. 



Average length of legs (third pair) about '25 mm. 



Average length of legs (fourth pair) about "30 mm. 



This species is noticeable for its moniliform legs 

 and its habits of usually carrying its cast skins and 

 being covered with white or grey powder. It is very 

 variable, both in size and in the covering of white 

 powder. The pseudo-stigmatic organs also seem to 

 vary in their length and the fineness of their termina- 

 tions, but this depends on whether they are clean and 

 perfect or not. I have suspected that there may be 

 more than one species, but have not been able to define 

 more than one, as there seem to be intermediate forms. 

 Koch's name, being the older, ought to be preserved 

 if we were certain that it applied to this species ; but 

 he says that all the legs are the same length, and that 

 the pseudo-stigmatic organs have thin proximal ends 

 and become much thicker towards their distal ends. 

 Neither of these statements is correct for the present 

 species, and with a more careful describer than Koch 

 this would be fatal ; but his figure makes me suspect 

 that he may have had this creature after all; Nicolet 

 certainly had, so it is safer to retain his name. Even he 

 says that the pseudo-stigmatic organs are slightly 

 thickened towards their distal ends ; this appears so, as 

 the creatures are usually caught, but clean specimens in 

 perfect condition have them prolonged to very fine 

 points. 



Colour dark red-brown, legs lighter. 



Texture smooth, but not polished. 



* Verticillus, a whorl ; pes, a foot. 



