THE ANIMAL LIFE OF THE GROUP. 407 



but at night they become active and race about rapidly in search of food. 

 The.y are most troublesome in houses during the long wet spells, for, while they 

 naturally prefer moist situations, they come out of the grouud and enter 

 dwellings and outhouses when their ordinary hiding-places become water- 

 soaked. 



Centipedes five inches or more in length are not uncommon, and larger 

 specimens are occasionally seen. The large species was introduced as early as 

 1836, and there has been at least one other small species introduced since. 



The young centipedes have a curious habit of clinging to their mother's 

 side when alarmed. The female lays her eggs in clusters on the damp groiuid 

 in some obsciu'e place, and, coiling herself round them, remains innnovable 

 until the young have hatched. 



The largest centipedes known come from the East Indies, where they 

 grow to be a foot in length. The centipedes'-- of the Hawaiian Islands have 

 not been exhaustively studied as yet, bitt all of the species so far recorded 

 belong to genera that occur elsewhere. Four species belonging to three fami- 

 lies were collected in the Hawaiian mountains by Dr. Perkins, three of which 

 are described as new in the Fauna Hawaiieusis. 



Scorpions. 



At least one introduced species of scorpion ^-^ is quite eonnnnn in Hawaii, 

 where specimens frequently attain a length of three inches. The large species 

 of the order 1-^ occurs in tropical Africa and southern India, where a certain 

 big black scorpion may attain a length of eight or nine inches. The poison 

 sting is located in the tip of the long slender tail, which is carried c\irled in a 

 menacing fashion over the back. 



Wlien the scorpion comes in contact with any creature suited to its taste as 

 food it will seize it in the vise-like ^rip of the pincer claw. The tail is brought 

 into use and the stint;- im its tip is plunged into its pi'cy. Siii;ill animals, 

 insects and the like as a rule quickly succumb to the paralyzing etfeet of the 

 poison. As the scorpion lias no antenna^ to use as feelers, it always carries its 

 pincers well to the front. 



Scorpions are night feeders and ai'e exclusively carnivorous, feeding 

 mainly on small insects; silverfish, moths and caterpillars being among their 

 favorite food. Unlike the centipede, they prefer dry, dark places, and for that 



' Isometrus macultttus. ^-* Scorpionida. 



Description of Plate. 



1. ChcilcoU pidius crythroJoma. 2. Hhabdocncmis = (Spluiwpliorns) ohscurus. 3. Adore- 

 tux teiiuimaculatus. 4. Epitragus diremplnis. 5. Aramii/us fullcri. 6. Bosirichus migra- 

 tor. 7. Clytus crinicornis. 8. Cryptorphynchus mangiferw. 9. Coptops wdificator. 10. 

 XyMrocera globosa. 11. Simodactylus cinnamomeiis. 12. JEgosotna reflexum. 13. Echthro- 

 morpha macvUpennis. 14. Pelopaus c(emeiitarius. 1.5. Polistes hebrwus. 16. Odyncrus ni- 

 f/riixiinis. 17. Apis mellifica. 18. Xylocopa braziliensis. 19. Choetogwdia monticola. 20. 

 VoluccHa obesa. 21. Dacns cucurbitce. 22. Gastrojjhilus equi. 23. Snrcophaga barbata. 

 24. CalUphora dux. 2.5. Lucilia sericata. 26. Lucilia cresar. 27. Aiifhoiiiyia sp. 28. 

 Megachile diligens. 29. Ceratitis capiiata. 30. Camponoius maculatus. 



