98 



ZOOLOGY 



insects, mollusks, and worms, and may be useful to agriculture 

 through the destruction of injurious insects. Lithobius has 

 l)een observed to spend hours in killing an earthworm, whose 

 juices it sucked as food. Bluebottle flies also serve it as food 

 while in confinement. 



Litho'bius ' is of world-wide distribution, and over one 

 hundred species are recognized. Our common straw-colored, 



Fig. 98. — A piece of upturned barkwitha colony of light-shunncrs, — Litho- 

 bius, a sow bug, a pill bug, and a small snail. 



Eastern species, Lithobius for ficatus- (Fig. 98), is found also in 

 South America, as well as over most of Europe. It seems 

 to be replaced south of Virginia by another species, spinipcs. 

 Scutig'era ' is easily distinguished by its long legs ; its hind 

 li^gs^ indeed, are longer than its trunk (Fig. 99). Our common 

 Eastern species (rare north of New York City) is about 25 

 centimetres long, and is of a light brown color, •«'ith stripes on 

 the back. It is very active, and feeds especially on spiders. 

 It looks something like a spider itself when in rapid movement. 



' lilhos, stone; hius, to live. ■ provided with shears, for/ex. 



■'scutum, shield; gerrere, to bear. 



