
          543

I found that it had 28 legs on each side, arranged on the segments
of its body as follows: --beginning with the head, there were 3 segments
each with one pair of legs; the fourth segment had two
pairs, on the fifth, there was one pair and two glands which
secreted a yellowish transparent fluid; then came 11 segments
each with 2 pairs.  It had 2 antennae or feelers which it kept
moving before it, somewhat like a blind man uses his cane,
as if feeling its way.  The insect is about 2 in. long and about
¼ in. thick.  Its back projects somewhat beyond its sides, like a
shield, this somewhat protecting its legs.  The segments of its
back are black except where they join each other where they are
yellow and the projecting portion which is reddish brown.  The 
movement of its legs is peculiar.  Apparently those on each segment
are moved at the same time, two segments forward, two backwards,
throughout the lenght [length] of the insect<s>s</s>; those that were forward
are now moved backward, and those that were backward,
forward.  This is done so smoothly and rapidly that it
looks as if a wave-like motion, starting at its tail is continually 
moving along its legs towards its head.  This
class of insects, the myriapoda, to which also the centipede 
        