164 
The Irish Naturalist. 
Oct. 
CENTIPEDES AND MILLIPEDES. 
A Systematic Note. 
BY PROFESSOR GEO. H. CARPENTER, M.SC, M.R.I. A. 
Several recent papers in the Irish Naturalist — such as 
those of Mr. Nevin H. Foster/ and of Miss Hilda Brade 
and Mr. Graham Birks^ — afford encouraging evidence of 
the interest that is being taken in those obscure and difficult 
animals the centipedes, the millipedes, and the Symphyla. 
Introducing his list of Irish species of the last-named 
group, Mr. Foster informs us that " by some zoologists 
the Symphyla are regarded as an order of the class 
Myriopoda, whilst others consider them as worthy of 
Class rank." The faunistic worker at such groups as 
these finds abundant mental exercise in the discrimina- 
tion of genera and species, but it is well not to neglect 
the relationships of the higher divisions, and my friend's 
remark incites me to offer a few suggestions which may 
help to put the study of these crawling creatures in 
connection with that of other classes of Arthropoda, 
For many years past I have been convinced that the 
Symphyla as well as the centipedes (Chilopoda) and the 
millipedes (Diplopoda) are " worthy of class rank," and 
consequently that the time-honoured " class Myriopoda " 
— or " Myriapoda " as the word is more generally spelt — 
ought to disappear from systematic zoology. This view 
was put forward thirty years ago^ by R. 1. Pocock, and 
strongly enforced by him in a later paper,^ which deserves 
careful study by all naturalists who work at the Arthropoda. 
The class Myriapoda was established in 1797 by P. A. 
Latreille,^ who defined its members as possessing an 
' " Natural History Notes from Carlingford." Irish Nat., vol. xxiv., 
1915 (pp. 103-4). " Distribution of Symphyla in Ireland." lb., pp. 174-5. 
- "Two Irish Chilopods." Irish Nat., vol. xxv., 1916, pp. 121-135. 
"On the Classification of the Diplopoda." Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., 
(5) vol. XX., 1887, pp. 283-295. 
* "On the Classification of the Tracheate Arthropoda." Zool. Am. 
vol. xvi., 1893, PP- 271-5. 
" Precis des Caracteres Generiques des Insectes, disposes dans un 
Ordre Natural." Paris, 
