METAZOA MALACOPODA. 379 



tiveness and constantly changing form of the antennae, 

 the well-rounded and plump body, the eyes set like small 

 diamonds on the sides of the head, the delicate feet, and, 

 above all, the rich coloring and velvety texture of the 

 skin, combine to give these animals an aspect of quite 

 exceptional beauty. Of all the species which I have 

 seen alive, the most beautiful are the dark green individ- 

 uals of Capensis, and the species which I have called 

 Balfouri. These animals, so far as skin is concerned, 



are not surpassed in the animal kingdom I shall 



never forget my astonishment and delight when on tear- 

 ing away the bark of a rotten tree-stump in the forest on 

 Table Mountain, I first came upon one of these animals 

 in its natural haunts." 



Peripatus has been considered rare, but, according to 

 J. E. Duerden, 1 it has been found in great numbers on 

 the eastern side of the Island of Jamaica. It is cylindri- 

 cal in form (No. 939; PL 940, fig. i). The color in 

 P. capensis varies from dark green to bluish gray, with a 

 light band at the bases of the legs which extends the 

 whole length of the body (fig. i). There are no distinct 

 segments but the skin is thrown into numerous fine ridges 

 that bear papillae, each one of which is provided with a 

 tiny spine (fig. 2). 



The forward part of the body is not differentiated into 

 a distinct head, although it bears the eyes, the jointed 

 antennae, and the mouth parts (fig. 2). The eyes con- 

 sist of a group of ocelli and are therefore simple and 

 unstalked. The mouth parts consist of a pair of mandi- 

 bles or jaws, colored reddish yellow in fig. 2, placed on 

 either side of the opening ; each of these jaws has a pair 

 of sickle-shaped claws at its free extremity. On the up- 

 per or dorsal side of the mouth is the tongue, seen in fig. 

 2, extending downward between the jaws. On either 

 side of the mouth, near the base of the antennae, are the 

 oral papillae. 



1 Nature, LXIII, March 7, 1901. 



