256 



Marvels of the Universe 



Photo hii] 



{Hugh ^[aul, F.E.^ 



A pair of 



Millipedes at home selecting a site for the 





nect or egg-store. 



Photoby] il-l„!,l, M.ni,- /,/. 



THE MILLIPEDE'S NEST. 



TKe female has commenced to construct the lower walls 

 number of eggs can already be seen in the centre. 



into play at tlie same time. This hollow-cone 

 form seems to point to the fact that magnetic 

 currents and eddies have the same form as 

 hurricanes and whirlwinds, and revolve round a 

 centre. Perhaps an Aurora Borealis ray struck 

 such an eddy in the centre and was divided in 

 its circumference. After the latter had sucked 

 up the rays, they were probably drawn in towards 

 the centre, and after some minutes died away. 



In any case, a vivid display of the Northern 

 Lights is a magnificent and never-to-be-forgotten 

 spectacle, and no one who has the opportunity 

 should fail to visit the North of Norway towards 

 the end of the winter. It is not necessary to 

 travel farther than to Trondhjem, but it must 

 not be much further south. 



A MILLIPEDE'S NEST 



BY HUGH MAIN, B.SC, F.E.S. 



The Millipedes, or Thousand-legs as they are 

 commonly called, ai'e of a retiring disposition, 

 hiding under stones and logs of wood. If we 

 turn over one of their shelters the httle creatures 

 at once endeavour to hurry away out of sight. 

 There is something repugnant to many people 

 about their appearance, so on the whole they 

 are generally left severely alone. 



A closer acquaintance with them, however, 

 unfolds a most interesting story. With the help 

 of the illustrations we can follow a small part 

 of it which does not appear to have been de- 

 scribed before, viz., the way in which the female 

 builds her nest and lays her eggs in it. ; 



A pair of Millipedes were found, in the 

 month of March, hiding under a piece of wood 

 lying on the ground. The wood was quite damp 

 and had a rough, thin la5'er of earth on it. 

 Wood and ]\Iillipedes were taken home and 

 special precautions adopted to prevent the wood 

 drying up and to give the creatures the shade 

 they like. They are vegetarians ; but although 

 supplied with various things to eat, they seemed 

 to find sufficient nourishment among the eartli 

 on the wood. 



They lived together very happily, but evi- 

 dently disliked being exposed to a bright light, 

 always seeking the shaded side of the piece of 

 wood when exposed to view. 



