A Luminous Centipede

Abstract

IN Mr. Lloyd Bozward's letter on the above subject in this week's NATURE, he says that the light of the Scolopendra electrica “is the same as that of the glow-worm.” My experience is that the light of the glow-worm is a clear little spark of light; whereas that of the Scolopendra electrica (which I have usually found in the autumn) is more of a phosphorescent light, and streaks of this light are left for a few seconds in the trail of the animal as it crawls about, so that it is often difficult to say exactly where the creature is. I have no doubt others have observed the same thing.