THE MIU 



697 



h than the twelfth of an inch. It is found under the bark of trees, in cle 

 and in moss, and may be known by the twelve pairs of feet, the bunches of 

 the sides, and the white pencil at the end of the tail. 



he above illustration are given three examples of the curious family Julidae. 



These creatur :y like those which have just been described and figured, but 



may be known from them by the fact that the edges of the segments are not flattened and 



J, but are continued in an unbroken circle. They feed mostly on decaying 



vegetable matters, but have been seen to eat dead earthworms and molluscs. 



y all exhale a peculiar and rather unpleasant odor, which is caused by a fluid 



ion in certain little sacs along the sides, two on each ring. The little apertures 



through which this scented fluid exudes may be seen on examining the creatures closely, 



and b '.ier writers they were mistaken for spiracles, the sacs themselves 



being thought to be the breathing apparatus. The real spiracles may be seen on the 





Splnttrtpes ciocftus. 



Splrostnpte* tnaulMtipe* 



Julus 



under sides of the animal, close to the insertion of the feet. Like the preceding 

 creatures, they can roll themselves up, but, on account of the length of their body, they 

 can only assume a spiral form, as is shown by the left-hand figure in the illustration. 



The lower and smallest figure represents the common MILLEPEDE of our gardens, 

 shown of its natural size. This little creature is very plentiful, and may be found 

 under decaying wood, or below stones. Its movements are very curious. The little 

 delicate feet, looking like white threads proceeding from below, move in a regularly 

 graduated order, so that, as the creature glides along, a succession of waves seem 

 to pass over its body. On being touched it immediately stops and coils itself into a 

 spiral form, lying necessarily on its side. 



The development of the Julidse is curious and interesting. In the early part of the 

 spring, the female deposits sixty or seventy eggs in the earth, digging a hole expressly 

 for their reception. Here they lie until they are hatched, which occurs in about three 

 weeks' time, when the young Julidje make their way into the world. They are then without 



