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great number of legs, these creatures move very slowly, and it is 
quite possible that if their supply of ordinary food falls short, they 
might feed on any roots which came in their way. 
The division Chilognatha of the Myriapoda, or Snake Millipede, 
contains a number of species which are very destructive to the roots 
of plants. These creatures are sometimes called False Wireworms, 
which however is a very bad name, as they are not related in any 
way to wireworms, and do not bear much resemblance to them. 
They are all long, narrow, nearly cylindrical creatures, composed of a 
number of smooth, horny joints; each joint of the body, except the 
last two, is furnished with two pairs of legs, notwithstanding 
which thev crawl very slowly. The different species vary in length 
considerably, the largest are about an inch in length, others are 
scarcely half that size; when disturbed they generally curl 
themselves round into a ring. Their heads are provided with a 
pair of slightly clubbed antenne, consisting of six joints ; their eyes 
are far from prominent, but can easily be distinguished under a 
magnifying glass; their jaws are weak, and not fitted for biting 
hard substances, and the foot-jaws of the centipedes are entirely 
wanting. Some species, Julus terrestris and Julus Londinensis, are 
of a dark brownish lead colour, and are about an inch in length. 
Another species, Julus Guttatus (the spotted snake millipede), is 
about half an inch long, and is of a glossy pale yellow colour, with 
a bright crimson spot on each side of nearly all the joints of the 
body. The female snake millipedes deposit their eggs in the earth; 
the young when first hatched have only three pairs of legs, and 
their bodies consist of only seven or eight joints ; these however, 
and the legs, gradually increase in number ; they do not arrive at 
maturity until they are two years old, during which time 
they change their skins several times. These creatures may 
be found at the roots of plants, under rubbish, stones, &c., 
they are at times very injurious in gardens and green- 
houses, as they feed on the roots of strawberry plants, pansies, 
lilies, and other bulbs, anemones, &c., beans, peas, cabbages, 
potatoes, carrots, &.; they are also fond of ripe strawberries, a by 
no means favourable trait in their character. They are very 
difficult pests to get rid of, living as they do at the roots of plants, 
where no insecticide can reach them. Some persons have 
recommended laying nitrate of soda, or soot, around the plants, and 
then watering them thoroughly, but it is doubtful if this be of 
much use; burying small bundles of damp, but not wet moss, or 
laying small pieces of slate, tiles, or cabbage leaves, on the ground 
near the plants, are useful, for the snake millipedes are fond of 
creeping into, or under such things for shelter. When kitchen 
garden ground is much infested, the best thing is to Fallow it for 
some months, keeping it free from weeds, and the surface broken, 
