l68 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS 



III. 



Many traits in the growth of dimbing plants exemphfy analog- 

 ous principles and methods to be found in the life and habits of 

 Ophidians. Notice the growth and function of the tendrils of the 

 grape vine. At first straight and tender, but on coming in contact 

 with a neighboring twig a spiral coil is immediately formed around 

 the foreign support, and something similar to muscular contraction 

 is noticeable, and the grip on the support or trelHs is as tenacious 

 and crushing as the constriction of the serpent on its prey. Even 

 in the life and growth of the pea vine, or in that of the diminutive 

 parasitic dodder whose tendrils, on coming in contact with the suc- 

 culent stems of the wild balsam or with the soft new shoots of the 

 raspberry, show a willfulness of grip that seems almost crushing and 

 sanguinary, while from the tendrils of the dodder sharp root points 

 pierce the substance of the victimized plant and leech-like imbibe 

 therefrom life-sustaining fluids. Also when climbing plants have 

 grown to the height of their supporting poles, the extension of the 

 climbing stem is for a time continued into vacant space, and its 

 graceful swaying motion when acted upon by a slight breeze, forcibly 

 brings to mind the proceedings of our common snakes when making 

 excursions among bushes and saplings in quest of living prey. 



IV. 



An incident that occurred in this locality a few years ago de- 

 monstrating the noxious qualities of the common purple centipede 

 or thousand legged worm of the North American woods may, per- 

 haps, be fitly recorded here. 



A settler, who dwelt in a log house in the midst of his clearing, 

 was appealed to early one morning by the alarming cries of one of 

 his children, a boy nearly four years of age, who had just finished 

 dressing himself. He complained that something was severely hurt- 

 ing the sole of one foot immediately after he had put his boot on. 

 The boot was at once unlaced and removed, and on examination 

 one of the purple centipedes, which appearances indicated had 

 crawled out of the timber logs of the house during the night, was 

 found inside the boot. On examining the child's foot a livid mark 

 the size and form of the odious myriapod was distinctly imprinted 

 on the skin, and remained for a number of hours. 



