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CHAPTEK IV. 

 PHOSPHORESCENCE OF SCOLOPENDEA. 



IT is well known that the centipedes belonging to 

 the genus Scohpendra, and the class of Myriapoda, 

 present us with at least two self-luminous species. 

 In common with the earthworm, Scolopendra 

 emit phosphoric light of a greater intensity at the 

 time when the functions of reproduction are about 

 to be performed. 



We must register here another anecdote : 

 On the 16th of August, 1814, about nine o'clock 

 in the evening, some persons came to M. Audouin 

 at Choissy-le-Roi, near Paris, where he was pass- 

 ing his vacations, and called his attention to a 

 curious fact. They had seen, they said, an im- 

 mense number of " earthworms" in a chicory-field 

 not far distant, and these " worms" shone with a 

 light that could only be compared to that of a 

 piece of coal white-hot. One of these was brought 

 in a flowerpot to M. Audouin. It was evidently 

 a Lumbric; but, at the same time, this Lumbric 



