PODURID^. 



625 



rig. 619. 



cles, adding that "it is very unusual for an articulate animal 

 to have only two spiracles, and their position is still more ex- 

 traordinary^, for they open on the under side of the head, 

 immediately below the antennae, ... on the 

 inner side of the basis of the mandibles." 

 "In the manner of subdivisions the tracheae 

 of Smynthurus differ from those of the true in- 

 sects, and agree more closely with the Myria- 

 poda and tracheal Arachnida, in the fact that 

 they do not often give off branches nor form 

 tufts, but generally divide dichotomously, and 

 run considerable distances without a separa- 

 tion." (Mr. Lubbock, whom we have just 

 quoted, states that Pajjirius has no trachea.) 

 In Smynthurus the ovaries consist, according 

 to Lubbock, of a single egg-tube. (He also 

 states that he has been unable to detect the 



presence of any such tubes in the 

 species of Smynthurus he examined. 

 Linnrean Transactions, p. 441.) 



In the genus Podura the body is 

 long, with four-jointed antennae, and 

 the flexible spring-tail is short, while 

 in Desoria, which is found in the 

 Alps, the tail is long. The genus 

 Degeeria is known by the ovate bodj'-, 

 and basal half of the spring equal- 

 ling the fork in 

 length. A species M}fi 

 Fig. C20. (Fig. 619) closely 



resembling the European D. nivalis Nicolet, fMd 

 we have found in summer resting on theW'll 

 leaves of the Clematis. The Lepidocyrtus al- |ilj.'i, 

 hinos Nic. (Fig. 620) is a minute pearly white 

 species found in Europe ; its scales (Fig. 

 621) are thin and with distinct markings. 



Smynthurus is short, differing greatly in 

 form from Podura, and bears a striking resemblance to the 

 larva of Coniopteryx. The body is short, nearly spherical, and 

 40 



