NEAR RELATIVES OF INSECTS. 



233 



they are southern centipeds, In the North, one may''' 

 look for them under stones, logs, and bark. One species 

 is often found running about over the house walls. It 

 is a very swift runner, has 

 very long legs, and only fifteen 

 pairs of them . These legs drop 

 off easily if the centiped is 

 touched, and remain sensitive 

 for some time. This centiped 

 is sometimes called the cock- 

 roach tiger, and it has never 

 been known to bite a hirnian 

 being. Its scientific name is 

 Cermatia forceps. 



It has remarkably long 

 antennae, longer than the body, 

 and these seem to be ex- 

 tremely sensitive. They are 

 carried forward when the 

 animal is exploring things, 

 and are waved gently up and 

 down when the animal stops 

 after having been disturbed. 

 A Cermatia recently experi- 

 mented upon, had a wet leaf 

 thrust in its path so that the 

 leaf touched the tip of one of 

 its antennae. It stopped ab- 

 ruptly, threw the antenna 



J^ •'' 11- mum length. (Folsom.) 



which had been touched m a 



long loop backward and upward, remaining in this position 

 for some time with the antenna which had not been touched 

 straight out in front of the head and quivering slightly. 



Fig. 96. — A centiped, Scolopendra 

 antenna ^''''^' ^^^^ two-thirds the maxi- 



