ARMADILLO VULGARIS. 495 
smell, and a somewhat pungent, sweetish, nauseous taste, 
and are highly celebrated in suppressions, in all kinds of 
obstructions of the bowels, in the jaundice, ague, weak- 
ness of sight, and a variety of other disorders.” And the 
wine of Millepedes, prepared by crushing these animals 
when fresh, and infusing them in Rhenish wine, is spoken 
of as an ‘‘ admirable clearer of all the viscera, yielding to 
nothing in the jaundice and obstructions of the kidneys. 
In the light of modern science, we can impute the cures 
attributed to these creatures only to the effect produced 
upon the imagination of the patient, and the curative 
powers of nature, for, beyond some slight demulcient 
qualities, they must be wholly inert, and are now wisely 
discarded from the Pharmacopeias.” (Fitch, in Report 
on Noxious, Beneficial, and other Insects of the State of 
New York. Albany, 1855.) They are still taken medi- 
cinally in some parts of Somersetshire. 
The species is very widely dispersed and very common. 
Its recorded localities are near London, and in Kent, 
and generally throughout Ireland. It is very abundant 
in the Midland counties, as well as in Devonshire and 
Cornwall. 
