696 



THE PENCIL-TAIL. 



WE now come to another genus, termed Polydesmus. This term is composed of two 

 Greek words, the former signifying "many," and the latter a " bundle," in allusion to 

 the numerous groups of limbs arranged along the body. In all these creatures the body 

 is covered with a hard skin, and the segments are flattened and lengthened at the sides. 

 The upper figure represents a handsome species found in India, which mostly attains 

 the length of two inches. The color and general aspect of this species are rather strik- 

 ing. Independently of the very deep depression of the segments, which has a very 

 strange effect, the color is bold and striking, being deep and very rich reddish brown, 

 diversified by an angular spot of bright yellow placed in the hinder angles of each segment. 

 The body is smooth and slightly shining. When alarmed it is able to roll itself into a 

 partial spiral, so as to present merely the hard shelly armor to the foe, and to shield 

 the limbs within the coil. 



THE lower figure represents a species belonging to this genus, but which has not yet 

 been described. I propose to give it the specific name " granulatus," on account of the 



Polydesmus spleadldus. 



Polydesmus granulatu*. (New species.) 



peculiar appearance of the body, which is thickly covered with very minute raised tu- 

 bercles of a white color, such tubercles being called granules in scientific nomenclature. 

 Perhaps I can give a better notion of the idea expressed by the word "granulated," by 

 mentioning that it could be rightly applied to such substances as shagreen. 



The general color of these species is rather dark drab, and it may be at once recog- 

 nized by the peculiar form of the segments, which are flattened and elongated even 

 more than usual in this genus, and are set at their extremities with three distinct teeth. 

 The length of the specimen from which this description is taken is rather more than 

 three inches. It is in the collection of the British Museum. 



A species of this genus (Polydesmus complanatus) is found in England, and is not 

 uncommon in gardens. It is about three-quarters of an inch in length, is very narrow, 

 and has thirty-one pairs of feet. The genus is a very large one, and contains a great 

 number of exotic species. 



Before passing to the next large family of myriapods, we may mention the pretty 

 little PENCIL-TAIL (Pohxenus lagurui), a tiny creature which seldom attains a greater 



