l62 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1738. 



moving them, it may with equal, if not better reason, be called scolopendra 

 aquatica scutata, than Aldrovandus, p. 721, de cetis, calls a certain fish of the 

 whale kind, scolopendra cetacea. 



A, fig. 2, pi. 6, represents the insect on its upper part, covered with a shield; 

 which nearly resembles tortoise-shells, except that along the middle of the back 

 it is a little gibbous, and towards the extremity of the body it has a triangular 

 hiatus, slightly indented: it is entire, and almost of the same substance, though 

 of a more dilute colour, with the sheaths of the wings of the scarabaeus Goedarti, 

 produced from weevils, or what is called scarabaeus rosarum. The eyes pass 

 out through the shield, and are a little prominent. 



B, fig. 3, represents the insect delineated on the under part; where at the 

 same time appears avast number of legs: each of these has a certain bag as at 

 D, fig. 5, terminating in 3 feet, or rather claws; the two anterior ones have this 

 in peculiar, that their three feet or claws are longer than the others, though they 

 differ from each other in length. All the claws of the greater and smaller feet 

 consist of similar articulations; and such as the hairs of the forked tail of this 

 scolopendra, or the antennae of other insects have. 



M. Klein supposes this insect makes use of the longer claws of both the 

 anterior feet, and of the hairs of its forked tail behind, for antennas, by 

 means of which it timely discovers either its pursuing enemies, or such as it 

 meets with in lurking places ; unless we are to suppose the two short horns, 

 that appear in the fig. at that place, where we are reasonably to look for the 

 head, to be antennae. 



c, fig. 4, represents the body, bared of its shield, viewed on the back ; on 

 account of which the shield is carefully divided lengthwise, which as to the 

 part explained, is not continued with the back. In the thin cuticle of the lower 

 part of the shield, and that on both sides, may be observed, as in the fig. 

 punctures like needle work. 



M. Klein could not certainly determine, whether it sucks in the water through 

 these apertures into the cavity between the gibbous shield and the cuticle, and 

 again emits it; or whether it fills the cuticle with air, or empties it, according 

 as it wants either to go down to the bottom, or rise up to the top of the water. 

 The insections or segments are about 30, but the legs cannot easily be numbered. 

 In the extreme part of the body which separates the shield, the rings of the in- 

 sections or segments are beset with small spines, and that in the same order, as 

 they appear delineated fig. 2 and 4. 



D, fig. 5, represents one of the legs next the anterior one, with the little 

 bag. 



B, fig. 3, represents another leg in a different view. 



