CENTIPEDES. 
147 
pointed, fangs, working transversely in front of the head. 
Each of these fangs is perforated, and bears a hag of viru- 
lent poison, which is infused into the wound made by the 
point, exactly like the venom of the viper. The fangs 
are moved by very powerful muscles, so that, wielded by 
an animal of acute perceptions, and of considerable 
strength and swiftness, it may bo reasonably expected 
that they become the ministers of speedy death to multi- 
tudes of insects on which tho Centipedo habitually feeds. 
Even man has learned to dread their power ; the species 
are numerous in all tropical countries, where many of 
them attain a large size ; not infrequently being seen a 
foot in length, and an inch in breadth ; the bite of these 
species is much more formidable than the sting of the 
Scorpion, always producing fever, and sometimes death. 
As if this were not enough to make the Centipedes for- 
midable, some kinds appear to be endowed with that 
mysterious power, possessed by certain fishes also, of 
communicating electric shocks to other creatures. A 
smart discharge, quite sensible to the human nerves, is 
said to be given by Geophilua electricus, a lengthened slen- 
der species, not uncommon in our gardens. This same 
species is also luminous in the dark, giving out a pale 
blue gleam from every part of its body. We once had an 
opportunity of making some observations on this interest- 
ing luminous creature, which are recorded elsewhere,'*'' and 
to which we therefore refer our readers. 
The animals of this class undergo certain changes of 
form in their progress from infancy to the adult condi- 
tion; these, however, can scarcely be called metamor- 
Zoologist, for 1843, p. ICO. 
