380 Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society. 



mose glands, answering morphologically to the salivary 

 glands of insects, though Plateau's researches show that 

 physiologically this is not the case, for their secretion 

 has none of the effects of saliva. Plateau was unable to 

 discover the effect which it had, and as yet I have had 

 no better success. The liquid secreted is certainly never 

 acid. These glands consist of a number of nucleated cells, 

 some colourless, others violet, in L. forficatus and variegatus ; 

 in L. grossipes the violet colouring is absent. They are well 

 supplied with air, a trachea running alongside of each of their 

 ducts, and ramifying throughout them. The ducts open, not 

 into the oesophagus, but into the cavity of the mouth. 



The two malpighian tubes are very fine and long, and 

 originate in the anterior part of the body. Before opening 

 into the alimentary canal they widen into a sac-like reser- 

 voir. Their secretory cells are small, but well supplied 

 with colourless granules. They secrete pure uric acid, but 

 in very minute quantities. In individuals which have been 

 starved there is always a greater quantity of uric acid 

 present in these tubes than there is in those which have 

 lately had a meal. 



The geophilides, from their small diameter, are difficult to 

 dissect. I have succeeded, however, fairly well in Geophilus 

 longicornis and in Himantarium Gahrielis in making out the 

 nature of the alimentary canal. The three portions of the 

 canal are very differently proportioned in these from what 

 they are in Lithohius. 



The oesophagus is a very fine tube, occupying at least one- 

 third of the length of the alimentary canal. There are no 

 traces of any spines or hairs in its interior lining. 



The stomach much resembles that of Lithohius. The intes- 

 tine, which is much the shortest part of the canal, differs 

 from that of Lithohius in being twisted in Geophilus longi- 

 cornis twice, in Himantarinm Gahrielis four times. 



The anterior glands, which are colourless in H. Gahrielis, 

 are very elongated, though racemose, and have a long duct, 

 which runs close to the oesophagus. In G. longicornis these 

 glands take the form of tubes, thus approaching, as we shall 

 see, the Chilognatha. These tubes are of much greater 



