scales, and in a very short time the twigs were cleaned off. Some idea 

 of the voracity of this millipede may be gained from the fact that 

 one specimen, by actual count, consumed two thousand scales in a 

 period of three hours, and after a short rest continued feeding. 



This species of millipede is quite abundant in this locality, and 

 in order to satisfy my curiosity as to whether or not I could entirely 

 clear a tree of scales by them, I captured a number of them and placed 

 about a dozen, in each of several small grape-fruit trees that were 

 badly infested with the purple scale. Thej^ seemed perfectly con- 

 tended with their new surroundings and commenced at once to feed 

 on the scales. At the end of two weeks the trees were perfectly clean 

 and free from scales and the liark took on a fresh green color. At 

 this time most of the millipedes left the trees in search of more food 

 although one or two remained and are still in the trees, four or five 

 months after they were introduced. Singularly enough these trees 

 are still perfectly clean although they have had no other treatment, 

 Avhile other trees in the block that were sprayed with an oil emulsion, 

 but did not have any millipedes, are again very heavily infested with 

 scale. Although they are never likely to be of any great importance 

 in controlling scale insects in the grove, it is interesting to note this 

 habit of a supposedly vegetable feeding myriapod. 



Although preferring the purple scale, this millipede will feed on 

 other scales, as T have found by experiment with specimens in the 

 laboratory. I have not observed them in the field feeding on any 

 but the purple scale. I do not wish to leave the impression from these 

 notes that the millipede in question feeds entirely on scales, because 

 it does not. the scales being but a part of its diet. 



In dissecting out the alimentary canals of some specimens of this 

 millipede, I was interested to find that they were all very heavily 

 infested Avith w^orms, which according to Dr. B. H. Ransom, "represent 

 four different species of nematodes, none of which appear to have 

 been described. The largest and most numerous form agree very well 

 with the genus Isakis Lespes. 1856, the type species of Avhieh occurs 

 in termites." The other three species have not as yet been placed 

 generically. 



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