— 137 — 



briglit green colour, from the Gargoulette Palm, and a huge 

 black brown Eock Scorpion measuring about five inches from 

 head to tail. The dimensions as well as the colour and shape 

 of this monster agree with those of the Scorpio Africanus 

 mentioned by Cuvier, which inhabits also India and Ceylon. 



In passing to the next family — that of the Myriapods, called 

 by us with somewhat less exaggeration — Gentipedes, we enter 

 on the domain of the true Insects which have no apparatus of 

 any kind for the circulation of the blood. Here also, though 

 but a single individual of the former genus was brought from 

 the Ilet, it may be said to be effectively represented, 

 the specimen measuriug over six inches in length. It belongs 

 to the Centipedes proper, having 21 pair of paws or 42 feet, 

 the largest number employed by this, family despite its repu- 

 tation for a hundred. Colonel Pike identifies it with the 

 Scolopendre Mordante of Dumeril {Scolopendra morsitans of 

 Linnoeus), which though Indian is found at Eodrigues. I am 

 not aware how they difi"er, except in size, from the Centipedes 

 here, of which I captured one the other day at Eeduit, of the 

 same chocolate brown hue ; though inspirits of wine it has 

 since turned to a bluish-green. It was about two and a half 

 inches long. Probably as the roof had just been undergoing 

 repairs, it may have dropped off some of the Singapore Teak 

 shingles. 



Descending in the scale of creation, we have next to deal 

 with Cuvier's fifth Order of Insects, the Coleopters or Beetles 

 in which too, Eound Island seems ricl>. The ease constains 

 specimens of half a dozen species, which all differ more or 

 less, in Colonel Pike's opinion, from their Mauritian conge- 

 ners. One (No. 27) he considers very singular and unlike 

 anything he can find figured or described. Two others (19 

 and 20) belong to the very peculiar tribe of (Edemerites. 



Cuvier's sixth Order of Insects : The Ortlwpters, a terres- 

 trial group though winged, are represented in this collection 

 first by a Phasma, — usually known as the " spectre " or " dry 

 stick Insect," varying remarkably. in structure as pointed out 

 by Colonel Pike from the Mauritius Fhasme Geant, to which 

 it bears, as will be seen, a general resemblance. As it differs 



