MYRIAPODA. 591 



sists of a short stem, which divides into two tapering, joint- 

 ed, fringed filaments ; these, by their motion towards the 

 mouth, bring the water and its contents within the sphere 

 of that organ. The abdomen terminates in a conical tubu- 

 lar body, which has improperly been termed a proboscis. 



The nervous system consists of a cord encircling the 

 gullet, and giving out filaments to the mouth ; its two ends 

 running along the thorax and abdomen, and uniting at the 

 base of each pair of feet to form a ganglion, and give off 

 filaments. 



The mouth is furnished with an obvious upper lip, a 

 pair of maxillas on each side, with the rudiments of palpi. 

 Ellis says, '* The mouth appears like that of a contracted 

 purse, and is placed in front between the fore claws. In 

 the folds of this membranous substance are six or eight 

 horny laminae, or teeth, standing erect, each having a ten- 

 don proper to direct its own motion. Some of these teeth 

 are serrated, others have tufts of sharp hairs, instead of in- 

 dentations on the convex side, that point down into the 

 mouth, so that no animalcula that become their prey can 

 escape back."" The gullet is very short, and enters into a 

 stomach, having two coeca and glandular walls, which serve 

 as a liver. The intestine is short and simple, and termi- 

 nates behind at the base of the tubular appendage. There 

 are two salivary glands attached to the stomach. The gills 

 are conical bodies, situate at the base of the feet. The or- 

 gans of circulation are imperfectly understood. Poli ob- 

 served the motion of the heart, but the vessels which are 

 connected with it are unknown. 



The organs of reproduction appear, according to Cu- 

 viER, to consist of an ovarium, giving out an oviduct, 

 which traverses a body considered as a testicle, and both 

 the canals unite in a common tube, which traverses 



