ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY, MICBOSCOPY, ETC. 385 



importance of the ventral appendages — " Hiiftspornen " and " Hiiftdriisen." 

 Terminal spurs are represented in Scolopendrella and many Chilopoda by 

 simple immovable epithelial structures on most of the appendages, though 

 sometimes peculiarly displaced. The well-developed appendages, corre- 

 sponding to " hip-spurs," and usually designated parapodia, as in MacMlis, 

 serve for location, while the true extremities are reduced. " Hip-glands," 

 demonstrated in Peripatus, occur also in Scolopendrella, MacMlis, Campodea, 

 &c., in Craspedosoma and Lysiopedalium among Diplopoda, in Litliobius on 

 the last four (rarely five) segments, and finally in Chilepimorpha, in which 

 the hips are reduced, on the pleural plates of the last limb-bearing seg- 

 ment. They secrete a gummy secretion of use in attachment to smooth 

 surfaces, for fastening the spermatophores in GeopMlus, &g. The Symphy- 

 lid Myriopods are to be regarded as primitive. The epimorphous Gampodea 

 and Japyx are in close relationship to the hemimetabolic (anamorphous) 

 Hexapods, and from these certain beetle families (Lampyridse, Phengodes) 

 afford transition forms to the holometabolic (Metamorpha) insects. 



Mechanism of Respiration in Myriopoda.* — M. J. Chalande describes 

 a series of experiments on various species of Myriopods, undertaken in 

 order to ascertain whether respiration in these animals resembled, in its 

 mechanism, that in insects. 



By means of a simple apparatus, which is described, he was able to 

 examine the animals, while alive, under the Microscope, in order to deter- 

 mine whether there were any external movements of inspiration and 

 expiration, movements of contraction either transverse or longitudinal, 

 or of the rings upon one another. The result is negative. Another series 

 of experiments, in which the animals were partially asphyxiated, either by 

 water or carbonic acid, and were then restored by a current of air, was 

 made in order to ascertain whether the stigmata could be completely closed. 

 The answer to this was also a negative. The experiments are described in 

 detail, and the following genera were experimented upon, in some cases 

 two or more species of the genus were used : — GeopMlus, ScJiendyla, 

 Himantarium, Scolopendra, Cryptops, Lithohius, amongst the Chilopoda ; and 

 Glomeris, lulus, Blaniulus, Strongylosoma, Polydesmus, amongst the 

 Chilognatha. 



The results of his experiments are given in a resume at the end of the 

 paper, as follows : — 



" The mechanism of respiration in Myriopoda differs entirely from that 

 in Hexapoda. 



1. During repose, there are no movements of dilatation, or of contrac- 

 tion of the body-cavity, capable of producing or aiding inspiration and 

 expiration. 



2. Neither the stigmata nor the substigmatic membrane, execute move- 

 ments in direct relation to respiration. 



3. The external aperture of the stigma does not contract. 



4. The stigmata play only a passive part, serving only as a means of 

 communication between the external air and the respiratory apparatus. 



5. The substigmatic pouches, where they exist, can, in certain cases, 

 contract, under the influence of external causes. 



6. The excrescences which occur upon the substigmatic membrane, can 

 obstruct the stigmata, under the influence of external causes. 



7. This obstruction is only partial. The respiratory apparatus is 

 never completely closed. 



* Bull. Soc. d'Hist. Nat. Toulouse, 1886, and Comptes Kendus, civ. (1887) pp. 126-7. 

 See this Journal, 1886, p. 434. 



