Of a certain poifonous Reptile, common in the Eajl Indies, called in 

 Latin, Millepeda Indica, in Dutch, Duyfent-becn, and in English 

 vulgaris/ named the thoufand legs.* 



1 HAVE often heard mention made of the poifonous pundure or 

 bite of a certain noxious animal in the Eall Indies, called a Mille- 

 peda, or thoufand legs ; this animal, as I have been told, creeps over 

 the bodies of perfons afleep, and being of a very cold nature, the 

 perfon is induced by the unufual fenfation to move ; if the perfon 

 does not llir, the animal pafles aw^ay without doing him any injury, 

 but if he moves, it bites him with the tM^o fangs or teeth, placed in 

 the fore part of its head ; and although no blood follows the bite, 

 but only a very fmall red or livid fpot appears, yet an intolerable 

 pain, with a fwelling, enfues, which remains longer with fome per- 

 fons than others ; and, to relieve this pain, the moll approved reme- 

 dy is, to drown the animal in oil of Olives, and to anoint the 

 wounded part with the oil. 



Being defirous to fee one of thefe creatures, I gave in charge to 

 fome labourers employed in this town to unload the Eaft India 

 lliips, to bring to me a living Millepeda, in order that I might if 

 polTible difcover from what caufe the poifon in its bite proceeded ; 

 and thereupon they brought me one, about the fize of my little 

 finger, (though fome of thefe are two or three fingers' length). I 

 immediately took hold of it \Y\ih. a fmall pair of pincers, near one 

 of its two fangs or piercers, and examined the fang by the micro- 

 fcope, and all the while, the animal was continually opening and 

 fliuttings its fangs, as endeavouring to bite. I faw that in each of 



* We have in England an animal probably of this fpeeics, though not venomous, and of 

 much fmaller dimenfions, to which the name of thoufand Icgsisgiren, particularly by cliil- 

 dren. It is often found under ftones or rubbifli : it is feldom toovc two or three inches long, 

 but in fliapc exaftly fimilar to the Milloiieda here dcfcribed ; and wonderfully nimble in its 



IllOtJOIl?. 



