S. epileptica, Wood, Journ. A. N. S., new series, vol. v, 1863, p. 49.
This is much the largest Geophilid as yet found within our limits. The greatest breadth of the scuta is about two lines. The white dots on its head are very minute, resembling punctations. Length, 5½ inches.
Hab. Oregon. Neighborhood of Puget's Sound; Dr. Kennerly.—Smithsonian Collection.
S. chionophila.
S. aurantiaca, gracilis, parva, venuste polita; segmento cephalico fere subquadrato, postice medio canaliculato; antennis pilosis, haud acuminatis, articulis (ultimo excepto) obconicis; mandibulis dente modico in margine interno armatis; suturis scuto-episcutalibus interdum obsoletis sed plerumque distinctis; pedibus pilosis, utrinque 43; pari postremo (in femina solum?) gracile, parvo; sternis vel canaliculars vel depressione subcirculare notatis et suturis sterno-episternalibus valde impressis.
Orange, slender, small, beautifully polished; cephalic segment almost subquadrate, posteriorly medianly canaliculate; antennæ pilose, not acuminate; their joints (the distal one excepted) obconic; mandibles armed with a moderate denticule upon their internal margin; scuto-episcutal sutures sometimes obsolete, but generally distinct; feet pilose, on each side 43; last pair (in female alone?) slender, small; sterna either canaliculate or marked with a subcircular depression, and impressed with the sterno-episternal sutures.
S. chionophila, Wood, Journ. A. N. S., new series, vol. v, 1863, p. 50.
The distal joint of the filiform antennaæ is large and cylindrical, causing them to appear somewhat clavate. This species is a very interesting one, from the fact of its inhabiting a region so near the Arctic circle. Its diminutiveness shows that the Myriapoda form no exception to the general decrease in size observable among the lower animals as we leave the Equator. Length, I inch.
Hab. Fort Simpson, Red River of the North; R. Kennicott.—Smithsonian Collection.
Ord. II. DIPLOPODA.
Corporis segmenta, singulum pedum paribus duobus instructum.
Segments of the body numerous; each furnished with two pairs of feet.
The body among the Diplopoda is more or less cylindrical, not flat and parallelopipedal, as in the Chilopoda. Neither of the subsegments composing a segment is atrophied, nor are their appendages; consequently each segment is provided with two pairs of legs. These have coxæ, femora, tibial, tarsal, and metatarsal joints. The coxæ of the last pair are never hypertrophied, as in the first order. The organs of special sense are not well developed. The eyes are frequently altogether absent; when they do exist, they are generally numerous, scarcely at all elevated above the surface, and collected in patches near
