26 SCOLOPENDRID^. 



CASE poison, and the degree of injury inflicted by it, may depend much 

 on the circumstance, whether or not the animal has recently 

 bitten and expended its venom on some other object, in which 

 case, the injury occasioned is less severe ; and, the reason is 

 obvious, for not only may the reservoir of venom be exhausted, but 

 it may also be satisfactorily accounted for by what we now know 

 of the manner in which the secretions of all glands are elaborated, 

 viz., by the growth, bursting, and diffluence of successive series 

 of epithelial cells that line the interior of these organs, the fluid 

 contained within, and into which these cells and their nucleoli 

 are resolved being the proper secretion. When this is expended 

 too frequently, and the organ in consequence is excited by what 

 may be called the stimulus of want, the secreting epithelial cells 

 are hastened in their development, and the fluid into which they 

 are resolved is imperfectly elaborated and its properties are 

 doubtless less active. 



No. 7. ScoLOPENDRA CEYLONENSis {Newport .?). — 7. Specimens (2). 



This is one of the larger Centipeds above spoken of. They are 

 probably all to be equally avoided. It is from Ceylon. 



No. 8. ScoLOPENDRA PLATYPOIDES {Newp.). — 8. Specimens (2). 



Another large and hurtful species. It is from Brazil. 



No. 9. SCOLOPENDRA PLACE.^ {Newp.).—^. Specimens (2). 

 From Brazil. 



No. ID. ScoLOPENDRA VARIEGATA {Newp.).—Vi. Specimens (2). 

 A handsome species from Brazil. 



Scolopendra variegata (natural size). 



