Photo by W. P. Dando, F.Z.S.] [Regent's Park.
GIANT MILLIPEDE.
Shows the absence of jaws, which distinguishes these creatures from the predatory centipedes.
A curious genus, generally placed in a distinct class by itself, includes a few species which may be called Slimy Millipedes. The species are found in widely separated parts of the world, chiefly in the most southern regions, such as South America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, though one or two are known from Ceylon and the West Indies. They resemble slimy caterpillars, with conspicuous antennæ, and from thirteen to forty pairs of legs. The body is not distinctly divided into segments, and it exudes a very viscous slime, which acts like bird-lime in capturing the small insects which form at least a part of the food of these creatures, but which will not adhere to their own bodies. These creatures are found among decaying vegetable matter.
Injurious Creatures.
We are sometimes inclined to complain of our English climate, but we have cause to congratulate ourselves that it is far less prolific of noxious creatures than many others. We have no venomous scorpions or centipedes, and are not obliged to shake such intruders out of our boots before we can venture to put them on. Since the country has been so well drained, we are very little troubled with gnats, which breed in standing water, and are equally troublesome in cold countries like Lapland, and warm countries like South America. Nevertheless, several very troublesome creatures, not native to this country, have taken up their abode with us permanently, and more care should perhaps be exercised in preventing the possible introduction of others. Among the most troublesome of our household insects are bugs, cockroaches, and house-ants, all of which have been introduced from abroad. Among field- and garden-pests, the American Blight (which destroys our apple- and pear-trees) and the Hessian Fly are probably invaders from abroad; but the latter does not seem to have committed great ravages in this country. Among pests which have not succeeded in establishing themselves here, but which we should be specially on our guard against, are the White Ants, which are found as far north as Bordeaux, and are terribly destructive to woodwork, wherever they are met with; the Gypsy-moth, very destructive on the Continent and in North America, but extinct as a British species, perhaps because there is something inimical to its constitution in our climate; and the Colorado Potato-beetle, which is only kept out of Europe by incessant vigilance. But apart from actually injurious insects, it is remarkable how many species which are common everywhere on the Continent are either absent from Britain, or are only met with in very restricted localities. Let us hope that we may long enjoy our comparative immunity from noxious insects in Britain.
CHAPTER II.
INSECTS.