'Zl4: DAV'ENPOKT ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 



dently had its head smashed by the person who collected it. In the bottle 

 marked " Locality unknown " is a specimen in verj^ good condition, which 

 answers very well the description of Galeodes suhiilafa, Say, and two speci- 

 mens of Gdleodes pall/'pcs. Say. They are much larger and present a some- 

 what different appearance from the specimens I collected in Colorado, and 

 the Major Burt specimen j'ou send from Wyoming. The latter pleased me 

 greatly and I am truly obliged to you for it. It is, I am sure, the true subu- 

 to^rt,Say, and bears a striking resemblance in its general appearance to the 

 specimens of G. paUipes from Colorado. This specimen is doubly interest- 

 ing — on account of the species and the locality, so far north of where I 

 should have looked for them. Both species seem to be represented in the 

 south by much larger, darker colored specimens — such as the Marcy speci- 

 men and the " unknown " specimens. I wish I could get some idea of the 

 locality of the latter, or even to know for certain that they are not Say's orig- 

 inal specimens, for that idea comes over me sometimes, though they do not 

 so well answer his descriptions as the more northern specimens. I am get- 

 ting realh' very much intere.sted in these queer animals, and am beginning 

 to long for another chance to examine a little into their habits. I collected 

 five specimens in Colorado, all at different times. They were found single 

 and alone, under dry dung or a stone, in dry places. Xo other living thing 

 was near them, and I always had them transferred to my collecting bottle 

 before I had noticed how they walked. From an examination of the speci- 

 mens it seems as though they had to walk with the body close to the ground, 

 almost dragging. At least, it is impossible to bend the legs under the body, 

 while they go over it easilj- enough. Another interesting question is, how 

 thej' eat and what they eat. The stout clawed mandibles seem to be used to 

 hold its food, while in some way the juices are conveyed to the mouth by 

 means of the lingula which is inserted in the lower part of the front of the 

 head (which is broad and flat), between the mandibles. The lingula is flat 

 vertically, but I have not yet examined its structure carefully enough to 

 describe it, though I have noticed that at its extremity are two minute palpi- 

 and it appears as though it could be withdrawn into the throat. It is prob- 

 ably impossible for a Galeodes to swallow anything solid. I have not yet 

 found out how to distinguish between the sexes. Probably they are not verj' 

 different in appearance. One of the specimens shown me by Dr. Hagen in 

 Cambridge had an organ at the tip of the palpi that I have not noticed in 

 any other specimen. 



I shall examine the specimens as soon as I can, and will then return them 

 to Philadelphia — it may be in a week or two. I should be very glad to keep 

 two of the specimens in the "unknown locality" collection — one of each 

 species — at least for longer study. The rest I will place in separate bottles, 

 with the names as near as I can determine them. In this bottle are three 

 specimens (two species) undoubtedly foreign; these I will probably only be 

 able to refer to the scenus. 



