Br. H. Woodward — Myriapods of the Coal Period. 9 



supports ; " but as each paired sternum is also perforated above tbe 

 point of articulation for the legs (PL I. Fig, 5 I) with two spii'acles 

 in the form of oblong slits (four to each segment, PI. I. Fig. 5 sp.), 

 agreeing with the two pairs of legs, I fail to see any reason for the 

 assumption that these minute pores, if pores they be, are the basis 

 of gills (see also PI. I. Fig. 4). 



Even admitting that these forms may possibly have been some- 

 times either voluntarily (or involuntarily) aquatic in habit, yet such 

 a suggestion, unsupported by any evidence in its favour, would hardly 

 warrant one in establishing so anomalous a type as a Dipnoid order 

 of Myriapods breathing both by external gills and internal 

 tracheee. 



This specimen seems rather to favour the notion of a slight dimi- 

 nution in the size of the body-segments towards both extremities of the 

 animal, although we are unable to state with certainty how many more 

 somites are wanting in order to complete the body at either extremity. 



In addition to the two specimens showing heads, Mr. Beale's col- 

 lection has also furnished a single terminal segment, or pygidium, 

 which is associated with a spined body-segment, showing it to belong 

 to the same genus, and probably to the same species. The tail-plate 

 is somewhat pentagonal in form, with two bifid curved spines, one on 

 each lateral border, and four smaller simple spines, two on each side 

 of the median line ; the centre, which is transversely ridged, has two 

 obtuse tubercles placed like the body-spines subcentrally ; width of 

 tail 6 mm., length 5 mm., length of longest lateral spine 11 mm,, 

 length of submedian spines 5 mm. 



It is not improbable that this pygidium may have been associated 

 with a form like that on Plate I. Fig. 7, or even Fig. 9 ; the details 

 of its ornamentation agree with all, and its size with Fig. 7, 



So many important points attach to a full consideration of these 

 forms, that I reserve further figures, descriptions and comparisons for 

 my Monograph on the Arthropods of the Coal period, to appear in a 

 forthcoming Memoir of the Paleeontographical Society, where I hope 

 to discuss fully the question of species, I may then, possibly, 

 separate Figs. 7 and 9 as distinct, but prefer at present to defer 

 doing so, more illustrations being needed for my task. 



Meantime I have to return my best thanks to Mr. C. Beale for the 

 beautiful series of specimens with which he has so kindly entrusted 

 me, and to which I hope to do more ample justice anon. 



Before quitting these Carboniferous Myriapods, I desire, however, 

 to draw special attention to a mere fragment of one from the Car- 

 boniferous Limestone of Grassington, Yorkshire, where it occurs in 

 association with numerous remains of Phillipsta Derbiensis and a 

 Fenestella. Only four somites are preserved, and these are evidently 

 spinigerous after the manner of Euphoberia; but the spines are longer 

 and more slender, and it does not seem quite certain that any of 

 them were branched (see Plate I. Fig. 10), 



I only propose to call attention to the remarkable fact of this form 

 being found, not associated with Ferns and true winged insects, in 

 Clay-ironstone nodules of probable freshwater origin, but in a pure 



