ARMADILLO VULGARIS. 151 



ral ; body elongate, convex, and arched ; tail with the 

 lateral styles not prominent. 



Spec. Char. Body cinereous lead-coloured, without 

 spots ; hinder margin of the segments whitish. 



Okos- Diosc. ii. 37. Multipedes et Oniscus; Plin. Porcellio ; Ccel. Aurel. 

 Oniscus armadillo; Syst. Nat. Gnielin, i. 3013; Cuv. Jour. d'llist. Nat.u. 

 p. 23, t. 26, f. 14, 15. Colportc Armadillo; Gcojr. Hist . des Ins. ii. p. 670. 

 Armadillo vulgaris ; Lat. Gen. Crust, et Ins. i. p. 71. 



Armadillo comynun, Fr. ; Armadillo, It. and Sp. 



This animal is very common throughout Europe, amongst moss 

 and under stones. It is popularly known by the name of Pill- 

 Millepede, and has long been employed as an article of the materia 

 medica. Its general length is rather more than half an inch. The 

 body is elongate -ovate, somewhat convex above, smooth, and con- 

 sists of ten crustaceous semicircular scales or segments of a cinereous 

 lead colour ; the posterior margin of the segments whitish. It is 

 furnished with seven pairs of very short legs, each terminated by a 

 minute horny claw. The antennae are inserted on a prominence 

 in a cavity on each side of the head. The eyes are minute, lateral ; 

 and the styles or appendages to the tail very short. When touched 

 it rolls itself up into a ball, like the singular quadrupeds called 

 Armadillos, frequently remaining in this state for a considerable 

 length of time. Swamerdam relates a ludicrous mistake of a ser- 

 vant maid, who, finding in a garden a great many in a globular 

 form, imagined she had discovered some handsome materials for a 

 necklace, and betook herself to string them with great care ; but 

 on suddenly perceiving them unfold, was seized with terror, and 

 ran shrieking into the house. — Fig. (a) represents the animal rolled 

 up in a ball ; {b) the under side. 



Millepedes are directed to be prepared by exposing them to the 

 vapour of hot alcohol, till they are killed. They have a faint dis- 

 agreeable smell, and a somewhat pungent sweetish taste. On ana- 

 lysis they afford an alkalescent fluid, and an inert oil. 



Medical Properties and Uses. — Though no reliance is now 

 placed on their powers, Millepedes once maintained a very respect- 



