THE ARACHNIDS AND THE MYRIAPODS 123 



egg before it is disguised by the covering of earth, he 

 attempts to seize and devour it. 



Centipeds are widely distributed over the world. In the 

 tropics they grow to be over thirty centimeters (one foot) 

 long. Some species are poisonous, even to man, and death 

 has been known to result from their bite. They are active 



--rC* 



FIG. 06. Centiped and Milleped. Reduced 



creatures, and feed on living animals. The number of somites 

 varies from about nine to over two hundred. A pair of legs 

 is attached to each somite. The following lines were written 

 by Professor E. Ray Lankester, of England, after an attempt 

 to study the order in which the legs were moved. 



A centipede was happy quite 



Until a toad in fun 



Said, " Pray, which leg moves after which ? " 



This raised her doubts to such a pitch, 



She fell exhausted in the ditch, 



Not knowing how to run. 



