1896.] Entomology. 419 



Archipolypoda, so much greater is the general resemblance to the fossils 

 than to previously known extant genera. Yet there are in Liberia at 

 least three other genera which have evident affinities with Stylodesmus. 

 In all the pores are located on special processes or tubercles, and the 

 first segment is enlarged and scalloped in front. Udodesmn? telhitU r 

 differs from Stylodesmus in being much more slender and without the 

 long dorsal processes. These are replaced by two longitudinal crests of 

 two or three large tubercles. The body is very rough, setose, and in- 

 crusted with earth. Hercodesmus aureus is a beautiful little species, 

 more slender than Udodesmus, and usually without a covering of earth. 

 In Stiodesmus the dorsal ridges of tubercles are not much more prom- 

 inent than the numerous large, rounded tubercles with which the whole 

 surface is beset. The result is a creature which on first view might be 

 supposed to have affinities with Scytonotus. 



Besides these, the present family will contain four East Indian 

 genera, Pyrgodesmus and Lophodesmus, described by Pocock, and two 

 new ones from Java. In the Canary Islands is a beautiful and evi- 

 dently allied form inhabiting the nests of ants, and called Cynedesmus, 

 on account of the form of the first segment. The Stylodesmidse do not 

 coil up into a close spiral; they usually remain nearly straight, even 

 when in alcohol. Though there is no close resemblance in form or 

 structure between the Stylodesmidae and Campodesmidse, yet both are 

 strikingly different from other Diplopoda. That two groups of such 

 remarkable creatures should inhabit the same locality seemed at first 

 very strange, but as the various new and equally interesting forms con- 

 tinued to be found it was soon apparent that we were really in the 



That the new families are not all confined to Africa is shown by re- 

 cent papers, notably those of Mr. Pocock. As yet, however, the 

 Ammodesmidfe and Campodesmidse are known only from African 

 representatives. Of the larger, long known forms the Oxydesmida? and 

 Prepodesmidse, appear to be confined to Africa. In East Africa is an- 

 other family of several genera, none of which has yet been reported 

 from the West Coast. Indeed, speaking with regard only to families 

 and genera, there are four very distinct diplopod faunae in the African 

 continent, the northern, southern, eastern and western parts having 

 little in common. The species are, of course, even more local. I have 

 examined the collections of the Berlin Museum and the British Muse- 

 um, as well a3 the literature of the subject, and with the exception of 

 Oxydemus grayii and Orthomorpha vicaria, collected at Sierra Leone, 

 know of no Liberian diplopod from any other part of the We>t Coast. 



