TARDIGRADA: NEW ZEALAND 111 



ments of similar cones at the angles of the preceding segments (b and c Richters). 

 There is a slender spine on the first leg, and a blunt palp near the base of the fourth, 

 as in many other species. Seta a at the base of the head is generally nearly straight 

 the auricle at its base is fairly large. The legs are long. No barbs were detected 

 on the inner claws of the fourth leg, but they would be readily overlooked if as small 

 as in E. mutabilis. 



It is usually a small species, but attains to a length of 280 // or more, exclusive of 

 the fourth legs. The eggs are two to four in number. Two have been seen in a skin 

 which measured only 100 M> so that the species evidently, like E. mutabilis, grows 

 after attaining to maturity. The eggs measured 50 ^ in length. 



The species was described by Richters (37) in the same year (1907) in which we 

 collected it. It was only known in New Zealand till 1909, when I obtained it in 

 Australia, and later a variety in Hawaii. This ^variety (see p. 151 and Plate XIX. 

 Fig. 35) completely links E. novcezeelandice with E. mutabilis, as the dorsal 

 processes on V. are reduced to mere angles on the posterior margins of the plates. 



The figure (Plate XV. Fig. 5) shows the forked process and little lateral cones (d), 

 although these peculiarities were not observed in New Zealand. The figure is from 

 an Australian specimen. 



Habitat. North Island, Waitakerei Range, north-west of Auckland ; South 

 Island, Mount Cook district, elevation 2000 to 3000 feet ; shore of Lake Wakatipu 

 at Kingston. 



There are only about a dozen species in that section of the genus which has 

 segments V. and VI. separate. It is only necessary to compare E. novcezeelandice 

 with those which have processes on the posterior border of V. (third pair). Of these 

 there are three : E. islandicus and E. borealis have numerous spines and seise, 

 E. imberbis has a long seta at d, and a dorsal spicule over c. 



A species from the Canary Islands, figured but not named by Heinis (8) has the 

 spines of V. precisely like those of E. novcezeelandice, but it has setse c, d, and e. 



B: SPECIES HAVING SEGMENTS V. AND VI. COALESCED 

 Echiniscus gladiator, Murray (12) 



We did not find the type of the species, but the variety exarmatus, Murray (18), was 

 got in moss brought by Drs. Mackay and Michell from an elevation of about 5000 feet 

 on Mount Wakefield, in the Mount Cook district of the South Island. This spineless 

 variety was previously known only in the Shetland Islands. 



Professor Richters got the type from Bare Island, close to the coast of the North 

 Island. 



There is one character, by which E. gladiator and its variety exarmatus may be 

 distinguished from all other species, which has not been referred to in the descriptions 



