334 ARACHNIDES. 



very narrow, and concealed. They have but two jaws, which are formed 

 by the first joint of their palpi. 



They all have eight eyes, of which three, on each side and near the an- 

 terior angles, form a triangle; and two near the middle at the anterior mar- 

 gin are placed on a common tubercle or little elevation, one on each side. 

 The palpi are spinous. The tarsi of the two anterior legs differ from the 

 others, being formed of numerous setaceous or filiform joints, and without 

 a terminal nail. 



They are confined to the hottest portions of Asia and America. Their 

 habits are unknown to us. They now constitute two subgenera, PHRTBTUS, 

 Oliv. and THELTPHONUS, Lat. 



The others have their abdomen intimately united to the thorax 

 throughout its entire width, presenting, at its inferior base, two 

 movable pectiniform laminae, and terminated by a knotted tail 

 armed with a terminal sting. Their stigmata, eight in number, are 

 exposed, and arranged four by four along the abdomen; their che- 

 Iicera3 are terminated by two fingers, of which the exterior is mov- 

 able. They form the genus 



SCORPIO, Lin., Fab. 



Scorpions have an elongated body, suddenly terminated by a long slender 

 tail formed of six joints, the last of which terminates in an arcuated and ex- 

 cessively acute point or sting, which affords issue to a venomous fluid con- 

 tained in an internal reservoir, forming a long square, and usually marked in 

 the middle by a longitudinal sulcus, presenting on each side, and near its an- 

 terior extremity, three or two simple eyes, forming a curved line, and near 

 the middle of the back two others, also simple, which are approximated. 

 The palpi are very large, with a forceps at the extremity resembling a 

 hand; their first joint forms a concave and rounded jaw. 



These Arachnides inhabit the hot countries of both hemispheres, live on 

 the ground, conceal themselves under stones and other bodies, most com- 

 monly in ruins, dark and cool places, and even in houses. They run with 

 considerable swiftness, curving their tail over their back. They can turn 

 it in every direction, and use it for the purposes of attack and defence. 

 With their forceps they seize Onisci and various insects, Carabici, Orthop- 

 terae, &c., on which they feed, pierce them with their sting by directing it 

 forwards, and then pass their prey through their chelicerse and jaws. They 

 are particularly fond of the eggs of Spiders and of Insects. 



The wound occasioned by the sting of the europaeus is not usually dan- 

 gerous. That of the Scorpion of Souvignargues, of Maupertius, of the spe- 

 cies which I have named Roussatre (occitanus), and which is larger than the 

 preceding one, according to the experiments of Dr Maccary courageously 

 tried upon himself, produces serious and alarming symptoms; the older the 

 animal the more active seems to be the poison. The remedy employed is 



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