HABITS 



the fact that the proximal pad is broken up into three, a small 

 central and two larger lateral. The enlarged nephridia of these 

 legs open on the small central division. 



The males are generally rather smaller and fewer in number 

 than the females. In those species in which the number of legs 

 varies, the male has a smaller number of legs than the female. 



Habits. 



They live beneath the bark of rotten stumps of trees, in the 

 crevices of rock, and beneath stones. They require a moist 

 atmosphere, and are exceedingly susceptible to drought. They 

 avoid light, and are therefore rarely seen. They move with 

 great deliberation, picking their course by means of their 

 antennae and eyes. It is by the former that they acquire a 

 knowledge of the ground over which they are travelling, and by 

 the latter that they avoid the light. The antennae are extra- 

 ordinarily sensitive, and so delicate, indeed, that they seem to be 

 able to perceive the nature of objects without actual contact. 

 When irritated they eject with considerable force the contents of 

 their slime reservoirs from the oral papillae. The force is sup- 

 plied by the sudden contraction of the muscular body wall. They 

 can squirt the slime to the distance of almost a foot. The slime, 

 which appears to be perfectly harmless, is extremely sticky, but 

 it easily comes away from the skin of the animal itself. 



I have never seen them use this apparatus for the capture of 

 prey, but Hutton describes the New Zealand species as using it 

 for this purpose. So far as I can judge, it is used as a defensive 

 weapon ; but this of course will not exclude its offensive use. 

 They will turn their heads to any part of the body which is being 

 irritated and violently discharge their slime at the offending 

 object. Locomotion is effected entirely by means of the legs, 

 wdth the body fully extended. 



Of their food in the natural state we know little; but it is 

 probably mainly, if not entirely, animal. Hutton describes his 

 specimens as sucking the 'juices of Hies which they had stuck 

 down with their slime, and those which I kept in captivity 

 eagerly devoured the entrails of their fellows, and the developing 

 young from the uterus. They also like raw sheep's liver. They 

 move their mouths in a suctorial manner, tearing the food with 

 their jaws. They have the power of extruding their jaws from 



