THE HOTHOUSE MILLIPED AS A NEW GENUS. 



By O. F. Cook, 



Custodian of Myriapoda, U. S. National Museum. 



NOTES ON THE HABITS OF MILLIPEDS. 



Most of the species of millipeds are localized in definite areas, often 

 of very limited extent. A few species have attained a cosmopolitan 

 distribution in the tropics, and one of these has established itself in 

 many hothouses in Europe and America. The hothouse conditions 

 are evidently quite congenial for this species, to judge from the abun- 

 dance of individuals. They are sometimes accused of attacking the 

 plants, though seldom convicted of any serious damage. They often 

 feed upon tissues killed by fungi or insect pests and are likely to be 

 looked upon as the cause of injury, instead of being recognized as 

 harmless scavengers. 



The mouthparts of millipeds are not adapted for biting or chew- 

 ing, but are equipped with minute scrapers and combs for collecting 

 soft, decajung materials. Dead or dying tissues are preferred. The 

 only living plants that are regularly eaten by millipeds are the fleshy 

 fungi. Some of the native millipeds in the vicinity of Washington, 

 District of Columbia, feed to a considerable extent upon the local 

 species of Amanita, Russula, and Lactarius. Damage is sometimes 

 done to other plants when millipeds gain access to wounded surfaces 

 of roots or cuttings. Healing may be prevented or cuttings may be 

 kept from rooting by continual scraping of the exposed surfaces. 



In nature at large the millipeds have a share in the beneficial work 

 of reducing dead plant material to humus. Prussic acid and other 

 corrosive secretions may aid in the precipitation of colloidal substances 

 in the humus, in addition to the protection that they give by render- 

 ing the millipeds distasteful to birds and other animals that might 

 otherwise feed upon them. The precipitation of the colloids enables 

 the millipeds to keep their bodies clean and protects them against 

 the clogging of their spiracles. 



Proceedings U. S. National Museum, Vol. 40— No. 1842. 

 80796°— Proc.N.M.vol 40—11 40 625 



