MisceUancous. 4.J7 



III M. irnterhoiisli x\\Q, ears aiv Ioiil;;!'!- tliaii the licatl, the 

 front inariifin of the noso-K-af is thickened and raised above 

 the muzzle, and the extremity of the terminal nose-leaf 

 obtuse : the last caudal vertebra is alone free ; and its joint is 

 conndetcly enveloped in the interfemoral membrane. 



Both M. californicHSj Baird, and J/, mcxicanns^ Saussure 

 (evidently synonyms of M. iraterhousii), are described as 

 haviiii:; the last caudal vertebra alone free; and in Mr, Allen's 

 description* of M. ca I (fi'rnicus the length of the free portion of 

 the tail is given as 0*2 inch. I have examined many spe- 

 cimens of J/, iraterhotisii o( different ages; and in all 1 have 

 found the last caudal vertebra alone free. 



Although the specimens in the Paris Museum are not full- 

 grown, as the extremities of the finger-bones show, yet the 

 metacarpal and phalangeal bones arc as long as those of per- 

 fectly adult specimens of M. icaterhonsn. It follows, there- 

 fore, that this species is larger than M. waterhousii. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



ResearcJies on the Phenomena of Diciestion and on the Structure of 

 iJie DIc/estive Apparatus in the Behjian Myriopoch. By FfiLix 

 Plateau. (Abstract by tbo Author.) 



This work is the natural sequence of my " Recherehes sur les 

 phcnomi'ues de la Digestion chez les Inscctes "f. Like this, it con- 

 tains a large num])er of experiments ; only, the digestive tube of 

 the Myriopods being very imperfectly known, I have been obliged, 

 beside the physiological part, to give considerable space to purely 

 anatomical observations. 



The group which has offered most new anatomical facts is the 

 genus Crifptops. These animals are distinguished by an extremely 

 ample buccal intestine, playing the jjart of the crop of the carni- 

 vorous Coleoptera, and by a very remarkable valvular apparatus 

 (gizzard) ])reviously unknown in the ^Myriopods. It is a spherical 

 or ellipsoidal enlargement, very muscular, furnished within with 

 numerous seta; and even sometimes with spiny points, all directed 

 towards the oesophagus. 



On carefully studying the tenninal intestine, we find that, as 

 M. Gervais had already shown in some genera, the species of Glo- 

 ineris arc far from biiiig the only Myriopods in Avhieh this portion 

 of the alimentary canal presents convolutions. A simple curvature, 

 or one or sever:d loops exist in the terminal intestine of lulus, 

 G'eophilus, Ilimantarium, and Cryptops. 



My memoir also contains a detailed examination of the anterior 



* Bats (if X.irth Amorica, p. 4 (l!^n4). 



t Ann. I'V' Mng. Nat. Hist. 1875, vob xvi. p. l'>2. 



