218 THE TROPICAL WORLD. 



to more ample proportions. Mr. E. Layard has described one 

 of these encounters which he witnessed near a ruined temple 

 in Ceylon. When about a yard apart, each of the enemies 

 discerned the other and stood still, the spider with his legs 

 slightly bent and his body raised, the cockroach confronting 

 him, and directing his antennse with a restless undulation 

 towards his enemy. The spider, by stealthy movements, 

 approached to within a few inches, and paused, both parties 

 eyeing eacli other intently ; then suddenly a rush, a scuffle, and 

 both fell to the ground, when the blatta's wings closed ; the 

 spider seized it under the throat with his claws, and when he 

 had dragged it into a corner, the action of his jaws was dis- 

 tinctly audible. Next morning, Mr. Layard found the soft 

 parts of the body had been eaten, nothing but the liead, thorax, 

 and elytra remaining. 



The scorpions, which even in Europe are reckoned among 

 the most malignant insects, are truly terrific in the torrid zone, 

 where they frequently attain a length of six or seven inches. 

 Closely allied to the spiders, their aspect is still more repulsive. 

 Were one of the largest scorpions menacingly to creep up 

 against you, with extended claws and its long articulated 

 sharply-pointed tail projecting over its head, I think, despite 

 the streng-th of your nerves, you would start back, justly 

 concluding that a creature of such an aspect 'must necessarily 

 come with the worst intentions. The poison of the scorpion is 

 discharged like that of the snake. Near the tip of the crooked 

 sting, namely, which terminates the tail, we find two or three 

 very small openings, through which, on pressure, 

 the venom of the gland with which they are con- 

 nected immediately issues forth. By means of 

 this weapon, even the small European scorpions 

 are able to kill a dog, while the tropical giants 

 of the race inflict wounds that become fatal to 

 man himself. The sting of several South Ameri- 

 can scorpions produces fever, numbness of the 

 limbs, tumours on the tongue, weakness of the 

 sight, and other nervous symptoms, lasting twent}^- 

 four or forty-eight hours ; but the African scor- 

 pions seem to be still more formidable. Mr. Swainson 

 informs us that the only means of saving the lives of our 



