36 
GEOPHJLOJDEA. 
Liberia as it is never found except in European houses in wood perforated by- 
termites which are probably the food of this now cosmopolitan species. 
Ventral pores in a single median area ; no suprascutella. .... 
Ventral pores in a prominent, transversely oblong, chitinous plate located 
near the posterior margin of the sternum ; maxillary sternum divided ; anten- 
nae geniculate and clavate ; labrum slightly chitinized, edentate in the middle ; 
segments rugose and scabrous dorsally; Family Ballophilidae. The genus 
Ballophilus has the cephalic lamina and prehensorial sternum very broad, and 
the anal legs strongly crassate in both sexes, more especially in the males. 
Ventral pores in a depressed, circular, central area, with the reticulated in- 
tegument continued between the pores ; antennse filiform ; labrum well chitin- 
ized, strongly dentate medianly; segments smooth: Family Schendylidse- 
The Liberian genus Ctenophilus differs from Schendyla in the free labrum, 
three dentate lamellae, and slender legs; from Pectiniunguis in the distinct 
labial and maxillary sterna, the slender anal legs, and the free labrum ; from 
Escaryus in the presence of ventral pores, in the broad last sternum, in the 
two poriferous cavities of the anal pleurae and the deficient claw of the anal 
legs ; and from Nannophilus in the free labrum and the six-jointed slender 
anal legs. 
Of these new genera Ballophilus is the most remarkable. The 
unusuall}" large and clavate antennae and anal legs seem to be corre- 
lated with a peculiar habit of throwing first one end of the body and 
then the other when disturbed, instead of crawling like other Chilo- 
poda, this strange method of progression being swift and effective. 
Ballophilus is further protected by the unique color, often nearly black, 
and always inconspicuous in the twilight of the deep forests to which 
it seems to be confined ; at least I have never found it in coffee plan- 
tations or other open places, nor does it seem inclined to burrow in 
the ground, where Ctenophilus is commonly found. In two cases I 
have found a female Ctenophilus in a small cavity in buried rotten 
wood, coiled up with numerous young. 
A LIST OF WEST AFRICAN GEOPHILOIDEA. 
The Berlin Museum contains about 20 specimens of West African 
Geophiloidea, all from the Togo ColonyL These are very intere.sting 
in connection with the Liberian fauna. Some new species have been 
recognized, but they are so closely related to the Liberian that there 
can be no doubt that they fall within strict generic lines. The Kam- 
erun species reported by Porat are also introduced into this list, and a 
part of them are evidently congeneric with the Liberian. Thus 
while anything like careful collecting has been done at only three 
points along the enormous coast line, it appears certain that as in 
other parts of the world the Geophilidse, while not so widely distrib- 
uted as some larger Chilopoda, are much more extended than the 
Diplopoda. 
