DISTRIBUTION AND CLASSIFICATION OF ONYCHOPHORA. 399 
papilla—the ovipositor. This character is associated in two 
of the three species (and possibly in the third) with an ovi- 
parous habit and a sculptured egg-shell. It has been 
proposed to segregate these three species in a special genus, 
Ooperipatus, but, having regard to the fact that all 
Austro-Peripatus approach the oviparous condition, some 
even abnormally extruding eggs, this character of oviparity 
cannot be regarded as sufficiently important to confer generic 
rank. ‘his view is still further emphasised by Bouvier, who 
points out that to.adopt it will create confusion in the 
arrangement of the other species of the group, the oviparous 
forms not being monophyletic. 
The only character absolutely peculiar to the group is 
No. 1. The other characters are distributed fairly impar- 
tially in most of the other great groups. Thus No. 6 is 
found in some of the Capo-Peripatus and then only imper- 
fectly, and the colour also takes after that of the South 
African forms. 'The presence of well-developed receptacula 
seminis without receptaculum ovorum is found elsewhere 
only in Melano-Peripatus; and the absence of well-deve- 
loped coxal organs and the arrangement of the pedal papille 
occur again only in Melano-Peripatus, Chilio-Peripatus, 
and some species of Capo-Peripatus. The character and 
size of the ova are found elsewhere only in Ho-Peripatus, 
and the length of the unpaired part of the vas deferens and 
nature of the spermatophore only in Neo-, Congo-, and Ko- 
Peripatus. From this summary it 1s doubtful, to say the 
least of it, if Austro-Peripatus shows any special affinity 
to any other group of species. At first sight one might be 
inclined to assert an approach to Melano- and Capo-Peri- 
patus, but having regard to the important characters Nos. 1, 
11, and 14 this view can hardly be maintained. 
CHILIO-PERIPATUS.—One species of Peripatus has for 
long been known from Chili, but it is only comparatively 
recently that its characters have been made known to us by 
Bouvier, It occurs far to the south of any Neo-Peripatus, 
