THE BRITISH WOODLICE, 15 
that he turned over, and here the smaller species of ants also 
abounded. Close to stone walls Avmadillidia were to be seen 
to the exclusion of all other genera, and this state of affairs was 
ascribed by Mr. Odell to the presence of swarms of the large 
wood-ants which he considers would make short work of any 
woodlice that could not protect themselves by rolling up. 
We ought not to conclude this account without mentioning 
the fact that woodlice once played an important part in medicine. 
Doctor Fernie (28) gives some interesting extracts with 
regard to the hoglouse and the woodlouse. The latter he 
seems to have identified quite correctly as Oniscus asellus. He 
calls the former, however, indiscriminately, ‘‘ the common 
armadillo” (which is the old name for the pill-woodlice now 
known as Arymadillidiwm), “the pill millipede”’ and ‘ Glomeris 
marginata.’ The last two names are those of another creature, 
not a crustacean, which when it is rolled up can be very easily 
mistaken for an Armadillidium, though, when it uncurls, it will be 
seen to have many more than seven pairs of legs. The local 
appellations applied to the hog-louse by Doctor Fernie, and his 
remarks with regard to its commonness, tend to show that it 
is Aymadillidium vulgave, to which he really refers, and the use 
of which in medicine was commonly general. 
Hog-lice were prescribed for scrofulous diseases and 
obstructions of the liver and digestive organs, among other 
things, and the London College of Physicians directed that 
the creatures should be prepared by suspending them in a thin 
canvas bag placed within a covered vessel over the steam of hot 
spirit or wine, so that being killed by the spirit they might 
become friable. Hog-lice and Wood-lice were also administered 
alive, while the former were also put down the throats of cows 
“to promote the restoration” of their cud, hence their name 
of ‘‘ cud-worm.’”’ There seems to be considerable evidence that 
even in modern times Wood-lice have had considerable remedial 
effect which depends upon “an alkalescent fluid’? contained in 
them. 
Local Names.—Among the local names by which these 
creatures are known are those of ‘‘sow bug,” “lucre pig” 
(Berkshire), “ carpenter” and ‘ chiselhog”’ (Berkshire). 
Doctor Fernie (28) gives a number of others :— thrush-louse,” 
‘*tiggyhog,” “cheslip,” “ kitchenball,” ‘ chiselbob,” ‘ lugdor,” 
