Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1853-12-29

suppose that most of those who live in
the country have made the acquaintance, more
OF less intimate, with family of insects called
centiPedes. They are curious family, and
worth little attention. The centipedes who
live an the United States certainly the
Northern States-are, for the most part, harm
less, believe. But the same cannot be said
of multitudes Of the race residing in the West
Indies and other warm climates. In these
places, the bite Of the centipede is not only
very painful, but often dangerous. | confess
that never was great friend of the insect.
Though taught to consider him quite an inno-
cent sort Of bully, never could divest myself
of the suspicion that, if he were thoroughly
provoked, he would bite. Like some other
animals, his appearance is against him.
Many time, when have turned over stone
in the garden, or dug up an old and decayed
stump in the woods, and one Of these insects
has scampered out, have run as if forty
snakes were after me. Still, l never heard
Of centipede biting anybody in that part of
Connecticut which was my home in my boy
hood. Whether il be owing to the fact that
Connecticut is the 'land of steady habits
and that the lower order Of animals, as well as
men and women, consequently do not consider
themselves licensed to be dsorderly, or wheth-
er the Northern centipedes are different and
more goOd-natured branch of the family,
will not attempt to determine. But this am
sure Of, that never in my life heard of cen-
tipede-or, MS we used to call the insect,
thousand legs biting, or attempting to bite,
any of the good citizens of Connecticut.
| In the West Indies, however, as naturalists
tell us, the case is quite different and /
recollect seeing centipedes in the Southern
part Of Italy, which the natives told me would
bite most numerically when they considered
their rights invaded. In Sonth America, and
in some of the West India Islands, the ut
most care is necessary to prevent these
wretches from getting into the houses, and do
ing immense mischief They love to live in
soft and decayed timbers, and are much more
numerous in old houses than new ones.
Their practice is to lie still in the day time,
and steal out of their hiding-places at night,
in search Of prey. In spite Of all the people
can do, in those places where these pests are
most abundant, they will find their way into
sleeping rooms, and even into beds, to the
great annoyance and often the dangers Of the
sleepers. When light is brought into the
room, they always attempt to escape. Though
.L IL H. - Al
are quite ready to act on the defensive some
times, when they are attacked, and when they
consider themselves in danger. Their dispo-
sitlon to bite, as you may well suppose, renders
| them rather troublesome bedfellows when
they get into bed, the movement of the sleep
er over whom they may be crawling, and who
can hardly fail to be disturbed by their sharp
pointed feet or claws acting on his skin, il al
most sure to provoke venemous bite, which
will be frequently repeated, if the midnight
visitor is not removed from the bed. The
bite Of the centipede is exceedingly painful for
the moment, and is followed, unless the wound
is taken care Of in season, by great inhamma-
ton and high fever. If the insect is large
one, and the bite is severe, life is not unfre
quently lost, especially if the patient is of a
delicate constitution Bishop Heber speaks
Of centipedes as being very large and poison
Gus in different parts Of India. These insects
have occasionally been brought to this coun-
try in cargoes of hides from countries where
they are abundant, and where their bite is
poisonous. Some years since, man who
was employed in unloading vessel in Bos-
ton, lost his life, in consequence ofa bite re-
ceived from centipede brought to the coun-
try in this way WoodtcOrth.