HABITS AND DISTRIBUTION 



31 



known by the unpleasant though expressive name of "stink glands," 

 or by the more euphonious Latin name of glandulae odoriferae. 



As a general rule the larger species of Myriapods are found 

 in the hotter climates, some of the tropical species being very 

 large, and some, among the family of the Scolopendridae, extremely 

 poisonous ; and it is even said that their bite is fatal to man. 



If, however, the Centipede is sometimes fatal to man, it does 



Fig. 15. Scolopendra obscura. (From C. L. Koch, Die Myriapoden.) 



not always have it its own way, for we read of man making 

 food of Centipedes. It is hard to believe that any human being 

 could under any circumstances eat Centipedes, which have been 

 described by one naturalist as " a disgusting tribe loving the 

 darkness." Nevertheless, Humboldt informs us that he has seen 

 the Indian children drag out of the earth Centipedes eighteen 

 inches long and more than half an inch wide and devour them. 



Fig. 16. Chordeuma sijlvesire. (From C. L. Koch, Die Myriapoden.) 



This, I believe, is the only account of human beings using 

 the Myriapoda as food, if we except the accounts of the religious 

 fanatics among the African Arabs, who are said to devour Centi- 

 pedes alive ; though this is not a case of eating for pleasure, for 

 the Scolopendras are devoured in company with leaves of the 

 prickly pear, broken glass, etc., as a test of the unpleasant things 

 which may be eaten under the influence of religious excitement. 



