CLASSIFICATION. The class Myriapoda is now divided into five orders, the Chilognatha or Dip lopoda, the Cbilopoda or Syagnatha, the Schizo tarsia. the Symphyla, and the Pauropoda. To the Chilopoda belong the common thousand-legs of the family Julithe, as well as the representatives of seven other families, all of which bear two pairs of legs to each of the body segments except the first three. Verloef states that the males of some of the Julithe undergo certain seasonal changes. In the spring and autumn the form of the legs and other organs changes. These sea sonal changes are correlated with the sexual condition of the 'Tullis just as the males of cer tain birds and fishes show a brighter coloration and other changes at the breeding season. Jules will feed freely in captivity if the earth is kept at the proper moisture and proper food is fur nished plentifully. They will thrive on grass, leaves, and bits of apple and pear. The eggs arc numerous, from 60 to 100 being deposited at a laying. The female forms a receptacle for the eggs some distance below the surface of the ground. It is in the shape of a hollow sphere, and is composed of little pellets of mud. which are molded by her jaws and front legs. The nest is perfectly smooth within, but the outside is rough and shows the pellet composition. in the top of the sphere a small opening is left until the eggs are laid. The hole is then plugged up with earth and the eggs are left to chance. The
chilopods have many-jointed antenna and only one pair of legs to each joint. TO this group be long the large tropical centipedes of the family Scolopendridie and the long slender Geophilithe, as well as the Lithobilithe and Notophilithe.
The order Schizotarsia contains but a single family, the Scutigerithe, of which the common household centipede of the United States (Scuti gcra forceps) is a familiar example. This crea ture, although viewed with horror by careful housekeepers. preys upon house-flies and small cockroaches, and is by no means an entirely un desirable denizen of households. It is prevalent in the Southern States. and extends as far north a, the Hudson River Valley. The order Sym phyla contains the single family Scolopendrd fiche, which have a great resemblance to certain of the Thysanura among the insects. The order Pauropoda consists of the single family Pauro podidie, which contains only three genera. The type-genus. Pauropus, a curious crustacean-like form. was first discovered by Lord Avebury (Sir John Lubbock) in his kitchen garden in 18116.
Consult Sinclair. Cambridge Natural History, vol. v. ( London, IS95) Scudder, "Systematic Review of Our Present Knowledge of Fossil In sects, Including \lyriapods and Arachnids," in Bulletin of the rnited States Geological Surrey, No. 31 (Washington. IS86).