54 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



CONTINUATION OF THE LIFE-HISTORY OF THE WHIP- 

 TAIL SCORPION. 



By GEO. MARX. 



At the December, 1891, meeting of this Society I read a short 

 report on some observations on the life-habits of Thelyphonus 

 giganteus which I had made during twenty-one months in which 

 I had a specimen of this species under daily study in a glass jar 

 (containing moist sand) on my office desk. 



I stated that it was born at or about October i, 1890; when 

 about one year old it shed its skin for the first time. In January, 

 1891, it shut up the entrances to its subterraneous abode for 

 hibernation, which period lasted about three months. The 

 specimen did not fall into a dormant state during this time, but 

 stood quietly in its cavern, sensitive to the slightest disturbance, 

 like a horse in a stable. I promised then that I would at a 

 future meeting report further observations on this interesting 

 Arachnid, and to-night I beg leave to narrate the final chapter in 

 its life-history. 



After December, when I made the first report, it continued to 

 do well and occupied its time catching roaches, in which occupa 

 tion it acquired a remarkable talent, and also by rebuilding its 

 subterraneous galleries, which I purposely destroyed every two 

 weeks for the purpose of giving the little prisoner some exercise. 

 In the pursuance of this work the animal went about with the 

 greatest indolence. It was funny to see it stand before the little 

 excavation, stare in it, feel around it with its long palpal or 

 antennas-like forelegs and hesitate until it shoved a pellet of 

 moistened sand between its palpi, then retreated backward out 

 of the excavation and carried the sand to the farthest corner. 

 Thus it lived on, in peaceful mind and healthful body, until Oc 

 tober 2, 1892, or precisely two years after its birth, when it shed 

 its skin for the second time. It had now grown to 30 mm., a 

 gain of 12 mm. in this year, and its color had changed to that of 

 an adult that is, uniformly very dark brown, the sclerites cover 

 ing the body altogether. 



Foreseeing the severity of last winter, it went into winter 

 quarters a month earlier than in 1891, but opened the entrance 

 again on the 2d of January arid several times in February and 

 finally abandoned its burrow altogether on March 4. It stayed on 

 the surface from this date, notwithstanding the severe cold which 

 prevailed. I set its jar near the radiator during the night 



About this time it commenced to behave strangely, for it stood 

 in one place and stuck its head into the cool sand, apparently 

 suffering from headaches. It finally died March 14, 1893. 



