680 



SCOEPIONS. 



brought its tail over its back, and by a well-directed stroke succeeded in stinging its 

 enemy. At the moment of receiving the stroke, the Galeodes started back, opened all its 

 limbs, began to quiver throughout its whole frame, and rolled over quite dead. 



The colour of the Galeodes is palish yellow, and the tips of the fangs are black. Their 

 surface is very hard and polished, and when the light falls upon them they gleam as if 

 covered with burnished gold. In a specimen now before me, the array of hairs with 

 which the fangs are fringed glitter as if tinged with the rainbow. 



One species of Galeodes inhabits the New World, being found in Havannah, but the 

 greater number of them are inhabitants of the hotter portions of the Old World. In India 

 the present species is plentiful, and is apt to be rather annoying, especially to a new- 

 comer. On the same illustration with the Galeodes is seen a magnified representation of 

 the curious CHELJFER, a little arachnid very much resembling a tiny scorpion without a 

 tail. The body is flattened, and the palpi are much elongated and furnished with a regular 

 claw at the end, like that of a true scorpion. The Chelifer is an active little being, running 

 with much speed, and directing its course backward, forward, or sidewise, with equal ease. 

 It lives in dark places in houses, between books in libraries, and similar localities, prefer- 

 ring, however, those that are rather damp. It does no harm, however, to the books, but 

 rather confers a favour on their owner, feeding on woodlice, mites, and other beings that 

 work sad mischief in a library. 



Its general colour is brownish red, and it is remarkable that the palpi are twice as 

 long as the whole body. This, as well as an allied genus called Obisium, is found in 

 England. The two genera can be easily distinguished by the cephalothorax, that of 

 Chelifer being parted by a cross groove, and that of Obisium being entire. 



WE are now approaching the true Scor- 

 pions, and pause on the way to examine the 

 remarkable arachnid represented in the illus- 

 tration. In this, as well as the Scorpions, the 

 abdomen is divided into segments, the palpi 

 are very large and foot-like, and are furnished 

 at their tips with claws like those of the 

 Crustacea. The cephalothorax is broad, semi- 

 circular, and very slightly separated from the 

 abdomen. 



Of all the spider race, the Scorpions are 

 most dreaded ; and justly so. These strange 

 beings are at once recognised by their large 

 claws and the armed tail. This member is 

 composed of six joints, the last being modi- 

 fied into an arched point, very sharp, and 

 communicating with two poison glands in 

 the base of the joint. With this weapon the 

 Scorpion wounds its foes, striking smartly at 

 them, and by the same movement driving 

 some of the poison into the wound. 



The effect of the poison varies much, 

 according to the constitution of the person 

 who is stung, and the size and health of the 

 Scorpion. Should the creature be a large one, 



the sting is productive of serious consequences, and in some cases has been known to 

 destroy life. Generally, however, there is little danger to life, though the pain is most 

 severe and the health much injured for the time, the whole limb throbbing with shooting 

 pangs, and the stomach oppressed with overpowering nausea. The poison seems to be of 

 an acrid nature, and the pain can be relieved by the application of alkaline remedies, 

 such as liquid ammonia, tobacco ashes, &c. Melted fat is also thought to do good service, 

 and the nausea is relieved bv small doses of ipecacuanha. Some of the poison can mostly 



I 



I'HUYNUS. Phrynus palmcitii*. 



