iOS THE PHILOSOPHY 



wards rejefls the exhaufted carcafe. Spiders prey upon all 

 weaker infe^lsj and even upon their own fpecies. The 

 fcorpion ; this venomous infecSl is a native of warmer cli- 

 mates than thofe of the north of Europe. It has eight feet, 

 and two claws, the laft of which are fituated on the fore part 

 of the head. Like the fpider, the fcorpion has eight eyes, 

 three of which are placed on each fide of the breaft, and the 

 other two on the back. The tail is long, jointed, and termi- 

 nates in a fliarp crooked fting. The venom of the fcorpion 

 is more deftruilive than that of any other infe6l •, and is 

 fometimes fatal in Africa and other hot regions. 



The tajl diviflon of infe(5ls is termed vermes or worms, by 

 Linnaeus. This clafs comprehends not only all the infe<5ls 

 commonly called luorms, but all the teftaceous animals, and 

 the zoophites, or plant-animals. The ftructure of feveral 

 genera belonging to this clafs is extremely flngular. After 

 giving a few examples, we fhall haften to the conclufion of 

 the prefent fubjedl. 



■ The body of the gordws, or hair~iuorm, is long, fliaped 

 like a thread or hair, fmooth, and round. A fpecies of the 

 hair-worm is very common in our frefla waters, and is per- 

 fe(SLly harmlefs. In Scotland, it is a vulgar and foolifli no- 

 tion, that the hair of a horfe's tail, when thrown into the 

 v/ater, is converted into this worm. Though inofFeiiiive iri 

 this country, the hair-worm of Africa, and of both the In- 

 dies, is extremely noxious. It is of a pale yellowifli colour, 

 and is frequently met v^'ith among the grafs, efpecially when 

 covered with dew. It often infinuates itfelf into the naked 

 feet or limbs of children and unwary perfons, v^^here it pro- 

 duces an inflamation, which is fometimes fatal. It may be 

 extrafted by tying a thread round its head, and then pulling 

 it gently out of its abode. But this operation requires great 

 caution \ for, if the animal is broken, the part which remains 

 does not die, but, in a fhort time, regains what it had loft, 



