476 ARTICULATA. [Caar. XII. 
little silvery creature (Lepisma), called by Europeans 
the “ fish-insect.” ! 
The latter, which is a familiar genus, comprises 
several species, of which only two have as yet been 
described; one is of a large size, most graceful in its 
movements, and singularly beautiful in appearance, 
owing to the whiteness of the pearly scales from which 
its name is derived. These, contrasted with the dark 
hue of the other parts, and its tri-partite tail, attract 
the eye as the insect darts rapidly along. Like the 
chelifer, it shuns the light, hiding in chinks till sunset, 
but is actively engaged throughout the night feasting 
on the acari and soft-bodied insects which assail books 
and papers. 
Millepeds.—In the hot dry season, and more 
especially in the northern portions of the island, the 
eye is attracted along the edges of the sandy roads by 
fragments of the dislocated rings of a huge species of 
millepede*, lying in short curved tubes, the cavity ad- 
mitting the tip of the little finger. When perfect the 
creature is two-thirds of a foot long, of a brilliant jet 
black, and with above a hundred yellow legs, which, 
when moving onward, present the appearance of a 
series of undulations from 
appearance of the latter species in 
Ceylon, so far from its native 
country, but it has most certainly 
been introduced from Europe, in 
Dutch or Portuguese books. 
1 Lepisma niveo-fasciata, Tem- 
pleton, and L. niger, Temp. It 
was called “ Lepisma” by Fabri- 
cius, from its fish-like scales, It 
has six legs, filiform antenne, and 
the abdomen terminated by three 
elongated sete, two of which are 
placed nearly at right angles to the 
rear to front, bearing the 
central one. Loywzvs states that 
the European species, with which 
book collectors are familiar, was 
first brought in sugar ships from 
America. Hence, possibly, these 
are more common in seaport towns 
in the South of England and else- 
where, and it is almost certain that, 
like the chelifer, one of the species 
found on book-shelves in Ceylon, 
has been brought thither from 
Europe. 
2 Julus ater. 
