374 PROF. W. J. DAKIX ON THE 



It will heiioticecl that there is a very large anionut of variation. 

 Bouvier found, however, that in inany cnees the pnpillfe could 

 be discovered by a study of the anatomy. He concluded that 

 there was I'eason to believe that Peripatoides woodwardi possessed 

 crural papillae for all the legs with perhaps the exception of the 

 last two pairs, although further investigation miglit show them 

 to exist there too. 



In making a comparison with other Australian species of 

 Peripatoides. Bouvier states (relying on Fletcher's description of 

 P. . occidentalis (7)) that our nortliern variety differs from all 

 other AicstraUan forms in the jxissession of crural jjapillo' on the 

 \st pair of legs. In fact, this is stated to distinguish P. tvoodicaj^di 

 from all other known species of Peripatus. This statement 

 renders an examination of the southern variety particulai-ly 

 interesting. 



Let us first take Bouvier's northern type. We have found 

 that the ineie presence or absence of cruial papilla? when examined 

 externally means almost nothing. Sections show always that the 

 papillae are present on certain legs but that they may be either 

 invaginated (see PI. III. fig. 4, Orur. pap.) or j)rotruded. Every 

 specimen examined has had different crural papillas protruded. 

 It may either depend upon the fixative or the animal may pro- 

 trude certain papillfe at definite times. The preserved specimens 

 would then indicate the condition at the time of fixation. 



The fact remains, however, that crural glands are present in 

 the male in every leg (PI. I. fig. 3, Cr.Gl.), and papilla? are to 

 be found on all of them too. This is a correction to Bouvier's 

 otherwise excellent description, for he is not certain of their 

 presence on the penultimate pair. They are rudimentary on this 

 pair, corresponding to the condition of the crural gland, which 

 is very small in these- legs (see PI. I. fig, 3). The pajiilla is 

 well developed on the last legs, and its place is marked even 

 when withdrawn by a minute aperture with raised lips. 



It is striking to find that the above desciiption will answer 

 exactly for the southern form (P. occidevialis). MaJes have been 

 obtained with almost all the appendages showing protruded crural 

 papillae. Sections indicate the presence of crural glands and 

 crural pa,pilla; exactly as they are found in the Mundai'ing 

 specimens. We must emphasise in this connection the necessity 

 for the external examination of many specimens before one can 

 state how many crural papillae are present. Thus we now have 

 two varieties (of one species) which are characterised by the 

 possession of crural papillae on the 1st pair of limbs.* 



* The above puts out of court Fletclier's dcsciiptiou of P. ocrirlenffilis in wliicli 

 he states that the males have white papillfe ou niost of the le<rR. hvf vof on tlmse of 

 the 1st pair. 



