1873.] Ill [Packard. 



the Californian quail, and might readily be mistaken for them. They 

 are of a rounded oval shape, sharply tapering at one end, and quite 

 obtuse at the other, and measure 1.24 inches in length by one inch in 

 their largest breadths Their ground varies from a deep cream to a 

 light drab color. Some are marked with large and well defined spots, 

 most of them circular in shape, of a rich purplish brown. In others 

 the whole surface is closely sprinkled with minute spots of yellowish 

 brown, intermingled with which are larger spottings of dark purple. 



Section of Entomology. May 28, 1873. 



Mr. J. H. Emerton in the chair. Nine persons present. 



The following communication from Dr. A. S. Packard, Jr., 

 was read : — 



Occurrence of Rare and New Myriapods in Massa- 

 chusetts. 



For nearly two years we have had in the Museum of the Peabody 

 Academy of Science a specimen of Scolopendrella, detected Sept. 8, 

 by Mr. C. A. Walker, under a board in the grounds of the Museum. 

 It is nearly related to Scoiopendrella immaculata Newport, and if new 

 may be called S. Americana. Of the remarkable features in the 

 structure of this animal I do not now propose to speak. It has, how- 

 ever, in the head and antennas a strong resemblance to Campodea, 

 and in this and in the presence of spines at the base of the legs, and 

 in other characters, it bears a striking similarity to the Campodeee 

 and the Thysanura, as already indicated by Lubbock. It may be 

 regarded as a connecting link between the Thysanura and Myriapoda, 

 and shows the intimate relation of the Myriapods and the Hexapods, 

 perhaps not sufficiently appreciated by many zoologists. 



Another Myriapod of much interest, which is not uncommon in 

 Massachusetts, but not mentioned by Prof. H. C. Wood, Jr., in his 

 work on this group, is the Polyxenus faaciculatus Say. It has not 

 been noticed apparently since the time of Say, except in the third 

 elition of the " Guide to the Study of Insects " (1872), where it is 

 stated that Mr. F. G. Sanborn has detected it under the bark of trees 

 near Boston, and that subsequently it was found by myself in the 

 same situation at Salem and Nantucket. 



