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of their legs, move very slowly, while many of the centipedes are 
very rapid in their movements. The centipedes are all carnivorous. 
Our commonest species (Lithobius forficatus), which may be found 
almost everywhere under rubbish, stones, brickbats, &c., is about 
one inch in length, not including the antenne and legs, its body is 
composed of sixteen joints, each of which bears a pair of legs. 
The head is provided with a pair of tapering antenne, each of which 
is composed of about forty joints ; just beneath these organs are 
the compound eyes ; the mouth isa somewhat complicated structure. 
The chief feature, however, is the foot jaws, which serve the purpose 
of a pair of mandibles ; these are formidable looking weapons, and 
terminate in a strong perforated sharp fang, in each of which is a 
poison gland. When the creature uses these weapons, the poison 
is injected into the wound, through the orifice in the point of the 
fang. This species is one of those which moves very rapidly ; any 
small insect which it takes a fancy to, would have but a poor 
chance of escaping unless it could fly, for the instant the jaws 
touch it, its fateis sealed. Another common species—the Luminous 
Centipede (Geophilus longicornis)—is interesting on account of 
emitting light at certain times. This species, though formed much 
in the same manner as the species just described, is a very different 
looking creature, its length is about 23 inches, and it is not more 
than 3/5 of an inch in width, so that it isa remarkably long, narrow 
creature ; its body is composed of a great number of joints, each 
joint is provided with a pair of legs, the last pair in the males are 
much longer than the others, and have much the appearance of a 
pair of antenne. These creatures move in a very slow tortuous 
manner, and seem to glide along rather than walk, for their legs 
are so small that they are not noticed. At certain times, (generally 
in the Spring and Autumn), supposed to be their breeding seasons, 
these centipedes emit a phosphorescent light, and they often leave 
an illuminated trail behind them on the ground, some few inches, 
and occasionally 2 or even 3 feet in length, when they roam about. 
Persons are often surprised to see a streak of phosphorescent light 
on a pathway, and wonder what can be the cause, for unless careful 
search be made, the author will not be discovered. 
The female lays her eggs, nearly fifty in number, together in 
a cluster, in a cell which she forms in the earth; in this cell she 
remains coiled round the eggs until they are hatched ; the period of 
incubation extends over a fortnight, or three weeks. These 
centipedes are not considered by many persons to be entirely 
carnivorous, and they certainly have been found under circumstances 
which seem to show that they do not at all times confine themselves 
to animal food; although the organs of their mouth are found just 
the same as those of the undoubtedly carnivorous species, and 
poison fangs can be of no use to avegetarian. Butin spite of their 
