302 BihliograpMcal Notices. 



ber of pairs of legs is always two less than the average number of 

 pairs in the females. The number of pairs, counting the anal pair, 

 is invariably uneven, and all variations, according to species, sex, 

 variety, are produced by subtraction or addition of an even 

 number. The authors consider it settled beyond doubt that the 

 young Geophili at once possess the full number of segments and legs : 

 not only have quite young specimens taken with their mothers pre- 

 sented the same number as the adult, but such specimens just 

 hatched have been observed with a greater number of legs than is 

 generally fouud in the adult. The pores of different kinds — ventral 

 pores (on the ventral segments), the pleural pores (on the pleurae of 

 the last joint which carries Umbs), and the anal pores (on the last 

 protruding apodal segment) — also afford good characters ; but their 

 number increases considerably as the animals grow in size. The 

 colour is of very little value ; the designs produced by the intestines 

 shining through the integuments vary according to the state of 

 feeding ; and the intensity of the usually darker colour of the claws 

 depends principally on the time which has elapsed since the last 

 moulting. The length of the body and of the antennae is not with- 

 out importance, but varies according to the mode in which the ani- 

 mal is kiUed and preserved ; and the characters derived from the 

 shape of the individual joints are by far more valuable. The 

 authors propose a new genus, Scnijpceus, distinguished from. Oeo- 

 philus by the absence of anal pores, by having a smaller tooth- 

 less claw on the first pair of maxillary legs, a larger second pair of 

 maxillae, thicker anal limbs in the male, and by the skull-plate 

 being divided. They enumerate five species of GeopMlus as Danish, 

 of which one is new, — and two of Scnipceus, probably both new. 

 They reject Koch's genera Linotcenla and Stenotcenia, because the 

 principal mark of distinction between them, the varying thickness 

 of the anal legs, is in most species a sexual distinction ; and they 

 consider the species of Stenotcenia to be the females of corresponding 

 males described as species of Linotcenia. They also reject both 

 names, as being formed in direct violation of the rules of nomencla- 

 ture, and in any case only applicable to congeners of Tcenia. The 

 species in question are united in the new genus Scolioplanes, of 

 which they enumerate three species as Danish. They propose a new 

 genus, SchendyJa, based on Koch's Linotcenia nemoroisis, and distin- 

 guished from Scolioplanes by the labrum being united to the clypeus, 

 the cutting-edge of the mandibles short, with but few teeth ; the 

 maxillae of the second pair are small, but the claw of the first pair 

 of maxillary legs is exceedingly large, and the anal legs, even in the 

 female, very thick. Himantarium subterraneum, K., is also men- 

 tioned as Danish. 



Dr. Bergsoe's paper on the Tarantula (iii. p. 239) and the curious 

 phenomena of Tarantism contains a careful and interesting examina- 

 tion of the voluminous literature of the subject, proving that the 

 term " tarantism " has been applied to facts of entirely different 

 nature, which, thanks to popular superstition and ignorance, 

 have been confounded Avith and all ascribed to the poisonous wounds 



