T H E S C O R P I O N. 275 



Not lefs terrible from its Hze than its malignity. It refembles a lob- 

 fter fomcwhat in fhape. There are counted nine kinds of this dangerous 

 infe6t, chiefly diftinguiflied by their colour j yellow, brown, and afh-co- 

 loursd, ruft-coloured, green, pale yellow, black, claret-colour, white, 

 and grey. 



There are four principal parts diftinguifhable in this animal ; the 

 head, the brcaft, the belly, and the tail. Th? fcorpion's head feenis^ 

 jointed to the bread ; in the middle of which are two eyes ; and a 

 little forwarder two more, placed in the fore part of the head, lb fmall, 

 they are fcarcely perceivable. The moutli has two jaws j the undcrmoft 

 divided, and the parts notched into each other, which ferve as teeth ; 

 thefe can, at pleafure, be withdrawn into its mouth, fo that no part can 

 be feen- On each fide the head are two arms, each compofed of four 

 joints; the laft large, with ftrong mufcles, and like a lobfter's claw. 

 Btlow the bread are eight articulated legs, each divided into fix joints, 

 having two crooked claws, and here and there covered with hair. 

 The belly is divided into feven little rings; from the lowcft of which is 

 continued a tail, compofed of fix joints, briftly ; the laft armed with a 

 crooked fting, long, pointed, hard, and hollow j pierced near the bafe 

 by two fmall holes, through which the animal eje<5ls a drop of poifon, 

 white, cauftic, and fatal. The rcfervoir of this poifon is a fmall blad- 

 der near the tail, into which the venom is difiilled by a peculiar appa- 

 ratus. If this bladder be gently prefled, the venom will be feen ifluing 

 out through the two holes above-mentioned. 



Few animals are more formidable, or m.ore truly mifchievous. As it 

 takes refuge in fmall places, and generally in houfes i it m.uft almoft in- 

 evitably fting fome among whom it refides. In fom.e parts of Italy and 

 France, in the province of Languedoc, it is one of the greateft pefts ; 

 but its malignity in Europe is trifling, when compared to thofe of 

 Africa and the Eaft. In Batavia they grow twelve inches long; there is 

 no removing any furniture without the utmoft danger. Along the Gold 

 Coaft they are equally large, and their fting fatal. 



No animal in the creation feems endued with fuch an irafcible nature. 

 ^Vhen taken, they exert their rage againft the fides of the glafs vcflel 

 containing them. They will attempt to fting a ftick when put near 

 them ; and attack a moufe or a frog, while thofe animals were far from 

 oftering any injury, Maupertuis put three fcorpions and a moufe into 

 the fame vefl'el together, and they foon ftung the little animal in different 

 places. The moufe ftood for fome time on the defenfive, and at laft 

 |*aRt VI, No. jc. 3 A killed 



