148 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



It is said occasionally to destroy itself. 



by killing the old one in its turn. Such is the 

 ferocious nature of this insect, that when driven 

 to an extremity it will even, it is said, destroy 

 itself. Goldsmith was informed by a person who 

 made the experiment in America, and on whose 

 veracity he could rely, that a scorpion, newly 

 caught, being placed in the midst of a circle of 

 burning charcoal, and thus an egress prevented 

 on every side, it runs, for about a minute, round 

 the circle, seeking for a place to escape, but find- 

 ing that impossible, it stings itself on the back 

 of the head, by which wound the undaunted 

 suicide instantly expires. This account is (with- 

 out any reason assigned) treated as fabulous by 

 the Rev. Mr. Bingley. 



The male and female scorpions can be very 

 easily distinguished; the former being smaller 

 and less hairy. The female brings forth her 

 young alive, and perfect in their kind. Rhedi 

 having procured a quantity of scorpions, selected 

 the females from the rest, and putting them into 

 separate glass vessels, he kept them a few days 

 without food. In above five days one of them 

 brought forth thirty-eight young ones, well shap- 

 ed, and of a milk white colour, which changed 

 every da}' more and more into a dark rusty hue. 

 Another female, in a different vessel, brought 

 twenty-seven of the same colour; and the day fol- 

 lowing the young ones seemed all fixed to the back 

 and belly of the female. For near a fortnight 

 all these continued alive and well, but afterwards 



