made up of numerous tubercles as is the case with d. tuberculata (Shaw), and A. gracilis (mihi.) The nearest species is apparently A. argo, from which it is distinguished by the winglike processes and other minor differences.

ART. XXXII.-Description of a new Pill-Millipede.
By T. W. KIRK.

[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 23rd September, 1885.] THE Myriapoda have occasioned much diversity of opinion amongst naturalists in time gone by. Some have classed them with insects, some with spiders, and some with Crustacea, for they possess characters allied to each of these; but the distinction of a separate class is now generally accorded them, and this class is divided into four orders. 1. Chilopoda, contains the carnivorous centipedes. II. Chilognatha, the vegetableeating millipedes (Iulida), the gally worms (Polydesmus), and the pill-millipedes. III. The third order was created for the reception of a peculiar little animal, one-twentieth of an inch in length, which possessed characters totally different from those of any member of the two orders previously mentioned. This little creature was discovered and described by Sir J. Lubbock. IV. The fourth order contains that extraordinary genus of animals found in the West Indies, South America, South Africa, and New Zealand; I refer to the Peripatus. So puzzling are the characters presented by this genus, that it has been at different times referred to the errant annelids, the leeches, the tapeworms and the Myriapoda; in the last-mentioned it remains for the present. And though its position is by no means satisfactory, it yet appears to be more nearly related to the Myriapods than to any other group.

The animal to be noticed this evening belongs to the second order, or vegetable-eating millipedes, and will be called Sphærotherium nova-zealandiæ.

SPHÆROTHERIUM.

The segments resemble those of Glomeris, but are fourteen in number, including the head, and twenty-one pairs of legs. Eyes grouped together, and situate on an eminence on each side of the head, just above the insertion of the antennæ.

Sphærotherium nova-zealandia.

Head, coarsely punctured, especially near anterior margin, which is notched in the centre, and strengthened by a ridge, immediately behind which is a transverse groove, and in front a number of yellow and brown hairs; the groove and the space around is closely but coarsely punctured, the punctures becoming much more distant as the posterior margin is approached.

Nuchal Plate.-Anterior margin strengthened by a ridge, produced in the centre, but slightly depressed on superior surface; posterior margin rounded; entire but somewhat irregular.

Dorsal Plates.-Smooth, highly polished. First dorsal segment with a very strong lateral ridge, continued up the anterior margin beyond its articulation with the nuchal plate; in the depression immediately behind the ridge are a number of coarse punctures; a shallow transverse depression about one-third of the distance from anterior margin; the anterior lateral margins very obtusely rounded; the plate produced backwards, so that if the line of junction between the first and second segments was continued, the portion cut off would be nearly semicircular. Last dorsal segment arched, margin entire, sharp, a wide shallow depression immediately inside the margin, expanding upwards at both ends. Intermediate segments smooth above, with the margin rounded in front and pointed behind; strengthened by a ridge, and with a triangular excavation at the anterior angle, most distinct in the fifth and ninth segments; a few yellow hairs in, and a prominent oblong tubercle just above and in front of, each excavation, especially noticeable in fifth to ninth segments. First dorsal segment widest; 2nd to 6th about even; 7th wider; 8th to 11th about even.

Colour.-Light brown, marbled with darker.

Length, 1.35; breadth, 8; width of head, 4; depth of head, 25.

Habitat.-Tinakori Hills, Rimutaka Mountains, Wellington; Stratford, New Plymouth. The specimens from Stratford were presented by Mr. A. Burrell.

No representative of this genus is found in England, but an allied though much smaller form, the common pill-millipede (Glomeris marginata), may be seen in almost every English garden; and in old times, both it and the armadillo wood-louse were used in medicine, and may still be found amongst the old stock of some druggists' shops, probably because when rolled up they look like pills-hence the name; and when coated with gum and flour and taken with sufficient faith they were considered very efficacious in various complaints.

Fig. 3.

Fig. 1.

Fig. 2.

1. Profile.

2. Head, nuchal plate, and first segment, front view. 3. Last two dorsal segments from behind.

ART. XXXIII.-Critical List of the Crustacea Malacostraca of New Zealand. By GEO. M. THOMSON, F.L.S., and CHAS. CHILTON, M.A.*

PART I.

[Read before the Otago Institute, 10th November, 1885.] WITHIN the last few years considerable additions have been made to our knowledge of New Zealand Crustacea, especially in the Amphipoda and Isopoda, and as the literature of the subject has become already somewhat scattered, we have thought it advisable to draw up the following concise list, which we think will prove serviceable to students of Carcinology. The synonymy of most of the species is not given in detail, as such a course would unnecessarily swell out the list, but it is as complete as is needed. The distribution in the colony of each species is given as far as it is known.

It is probable that, as a result of renewed and more detailed examination, some of the species here enumerated will have to be struck out, particularly when more attention has been given to the development and metamorphoses of the individuals, and to the sexual differences. At the same time the number of species yet to be described must be very large. One can hardly make a collection, particularly of Amphipoda, in any part of New Zealand, without coming across new and distinct forms; and when more systematic dredging is carried out than has hitherto been attempted, the number of such undescribed forms will be materially increased.

NOTE. Following Professor von Martens' suggestion, the specific name neo-zelanicus has been adopted in place of all the various forms of the word meaning "of" or "from New Zealand."

Crustacea Malacostraca.
Order I.-ARTHROSTACA.

Sub-order I. Amphipoda.
Tribe I. Læmodipoda.

1. CAPRELLINA LONGICOLLIS.

Caprella longicollis. Bate (Cat. Brit. Mus. Amph., p. 362, pl. 57, fig. 4).

Caprellina nova-zealandia, Thomson (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xi., p. 247).

Caprellina longicollis, Mayer (Caprelliden d. Golfes Neapel, p. 27).

Hab. Stewart Island, Dunedin, Oamaru, G.M.T.; Timaru, Lyttelton, C.C. (Chili.)

* While quite prepared to take my full share of responsibility for this paper, I wish to state that the whole work of preparing it has been done by Mr. Thomson. I have simply gone over his manuscript, adding fresh locali. ties, and making a few suggestions and additions here and there.-C. C.

2. CAPRELLA AEquilibra.

Caprella aequilibra, Say (Journ. Acad. Philad. i.). Bate (Cat. Brit. Mus. Amph., p. 862, pl. 57, fig. 5). Mayer (Capr. d. G. Neapel, p. 45).

Caprella caudata, Thomson (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xi., p. 246).

Caprella nova-zealandia, Kirk (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xi., p. 892).

Caprella obesa, Haswell (Cat. Austral. Crust., p. 814).

Hab. Dunedin, Oamaru, G.M.T.; Lyttelton, C.C.; Cook Strait, T. W. Kirk. (N. S. Wales, Japan, China, Brazil, South Carolina, Europe.)

3. CAPRELLA LINEARIS.

Caprella linearis, Bate (Brit. Mus., Cat. Amph., p. 853, pl. 55, fig. 17). Mayer (Capr. d. G. Neapel, p. 58). Caprella lobata, Kirk (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xi., p. 893). Hab. Cook Strait, T. W. Kirk. (Europe, East Coast of North America.)

4. CYAMUS CETI.

Cyamus ceti, Martens (Voy. Spitzbergen, 1671), etc., etc.
Chilton (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xvi. p. 252),

It ap

Hab. Parasitic on whales (Virgia breviceps), C.C. pears to be common on various whales (and sharks?). I have it from several localities in the New Zealand seas, G.M.T. On small hump-backed whale, Napier, A. Hamilton.

Tribe II. Crevettina.

Fam. I. Corophiida.

5. COROPHIUM CONTRACTUM.

Corophium contractum, Stimpson (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Phil., 1855). Bate (Brit. Mus. Cat. Amph., p. 282). Thomson (Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 5, vol. vi., p. 6; Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xiii, p. 220, pl. viii).

Hab. Dunedin, G.M.T.; Lyttelton, C.C. (Japan.)

6. COROPHIUM CRASSICORNE.

Corophium crassicorne, Bruzelius (Skand. Amph. Gam., p. 15, pl. i., fig. 2). Bate (Brit. Mus. Cat. Amph., p. 282, pl. 47, fig. 6).

Hab. Lyttelton, C.C. (Norway, Britain.)

[This species is taken along with C. contractum, and it is probable that they are only male and female of the same species. C. Bonnellii (Milne-Edwards) is probably the same as C. contractum.-C.C.]