27 
dound. The Australasian species 14 to 16 pairs. The African 
17 to 25 pairs. New Britain 22 to 24 pairs, and, lastly, the 
Malayan species with 23 to 25 pairs. For a general description 
one cannot equal Sedgwick’s, which is as under : “ Peripatus, 
though a lowly organised animal and of remarkable sluggishness, 
with but slight development of the higher organs of sense, with 
eyes the only function of which is to enable it to shun the light — 
though related to those animals most repulsive to the aesthetic 
sense of man — animals which crawl on their bellies and spit at , 
or poison their prey — is yet, strange to say, an animal of striking 
beauty. The exquisite sensitiveness and constantly changing form 
of the antennae, the well rounded plump body, the eyes set like dia- 
monds on the side of the head, the delicate feet, and, above all, the 
rich coloring and velvety texture of the skin all combine to give 
these animals an aspect of quite exceptional beauty.” 
You will have seen from the above that it would be useless 
looking for these animals in open exposed daylight, if you want to 
see them at home — you must seek them under logs (for preference) 
looking well into any crevices, into which they are fond of squeezing 
themselves, then you may be gratified by the sight of what you 
may take to be a caterpillar, but if you look closely you will 
find it has antennae — which no caterpillar has, also that its 
legs are in regular pairs and with our particular species 16 pairs, 
so that it has good specific differences from the Eastern forms, 
which have only 15 pairs. Each leg also terminates with a foot, 
bearing sickle-shaped claws, quite unlike the true caterpillar with 
its 6 true legs and 4 pairs (in general) of prolegs or claspers. 
They are sluggish in movement in daylight, yet very active bv 
night or when in dark crevices. They are extremely variable in 
color, varying from a greenish black, umber brown, brown, to 
rich chestnut, very variable in size and length, especially when 
extended in crawling. Sedgwick’s reference to “ spitting ” is 
on account of their habit of ejecting a quantity of very tenacious 
slime from the oral papillfe, which firmly adheres to everything 
(so far tried) except the skin of the creature itself. It is beastly 
stuff to get off one’s fingers. 
A few Centipedes and Millipedes were taken, but as they 
will have to go home for identification, we can give no particulars 
about them at the present time. 
1 rather hesitate to say much about the plant life noticed, 
still as no Botanical member was present one is expected to furnish 
a few notes. One thing appealed very strongly, as illustrating 
“ climatic difference ” in some 557 feet of elevation. One of 
the silver-foliaged Wattles (Acacia baileyana) which is at the Weir 
(elevation 420 feet above sea-level) had just finished blooming, 
getting quite shabby, in fact, but higher up at the No. 2 Pumping 
Station (elevation 755 feet) the trees were in full perfection of 
bloom, while on top of the hill at the Mundaring Railway Station, 
