21 JANUARY 1955, Page 13

Sorry, No Centipedes I went into an enterprising London pet

shop last week where they sell baby crocodiles. But this is not the season for buying crocodiles. They become available in April and May, as do snakes. So I asked instead for a nice big centipede about ten inches long, such as has so often bitten Strix. But the assistant had not got one. He said there was no demand.