476 
AETICULATA. 
[Chap. XIII. 
little silvery creature (Lepisma), called by Europeans 
the * fish-insect." 1 
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-bodiecl 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 2 , 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 rear to front, bearing- the 
appearance of the latter species in central one. Linnjeus states that 
Ceylon, so far from its native the European species, with which 
country, lout it has most certainly book collectors are familiar, was 
been introduced from Europe, in first brought in sugar ships from 
Dutch or Portuguese books. America. Hence, possibly, these 
1 Lepisma niveo-fasciata, Tern- are more common in seaport towns 
pleton, and L. niger, Temp. It in the South of England and else- 
was called Lepisma" by Fabri- where, and it is almost certain that, 
cius, from its fish-like scales. It like the chelifer, one of the species 
has six legs, filiform antennas, and found on book-shelves in Ceylon, 
the abdomen terminated by three has been brought thither from 
elongated setse, two of which are Europe, 
placed nearly at right angles to the 2 Julus ater. 
