VEGETABLE POISONS. 185 



of a very painful and troublesome nature, though 

 they very rarely end with the loss of life. The 

 leading external character of the scorpion, is 

 eight legs, two claws resembling those of the 

 crab, four eyes, a head as it were jointed to the 

 breast, and a tail composed of six joints, which 

 are bristly and appear like globules ; the last 

 joint being armed with a crooked sting, the fatal 

 intrument that renders this animal so formidable. 

 The sting is long, pointed, hard, and hollow. 

 It is pierced near the base by two small holes, 

 through which, when the animal stings, it ejects 

 a drop of poison, which is white, caustic, and 

 powerfully active. It is very impatient under 

 confinement, and extremely irritable ; so that 

 the least touch will cause it to sting the offend- 

 ing substance with its whole force. It is also 

 naturally bold and watchful, and seldom retreats 

 from its enemy ; but with its tail erect, and sting 

 in readiness, it waits an attack with courage and 

 intrepidity ; and if not destroyed in the conflict, 

 rarely desists, until it has killed its enemy, or 

 put it to flight. The Scorpion, according to Mr. 

 Bingley, in the East Indies, is sometimes a foot 

 in length, and as bulky as a lobster ; and con- 

 cealing itself under the furniture, it renders a 

 removal of articles of that description a matter 

 of some danger. 



The Scolopendra or Centipede, so denominated 

 from possessing a number of legs, is a native of 



