On the Classification of Scorpions. 303 



LTI. — Notes on the Classification of Scorpions, follotoed hy 

 some Observations upon Synonymy^ loith Descriptions of 

 neio Genera and Species. By E,. I. PoCOCK, of the British 

 (Natural History) Museum. 



[Plates XIV. & XV. B.] 



Part I. — Notes on Classification. 



The first part of the following paper is a brief summary of 

 my views respecting the mutual relationships of the genera ot 

 Scorpions. But since no special attention has been here 

 devoted to the Buthidie and Bothriuridaj, most of what is n^w 

 is expressed in the rearrangement of the genera of the groups 

 that Thorell ascribed to his two families Pandinoidse and 

 Vejovoidge. 



The characters I have used are taken exclusively from the 

 external structure *. Witli one exception all have been 

 pointed out before or utilized, with a varying measure of 

 success, by my predecessors, Peters, Thorell, Simon, Lan- 

 kester, and Karsch. The character that I believe to be new 

 and, I hope, of considerable importance is the presence or 

 absence of one of the spurs of the pair that is found upon the 

 articular membrane connecting the foot or terminal segment 

 of the legs with the segment that precedes it. These 1 call 

 the pedal spurs. It is necessary to distinguish carefully 

 between these spurs and the spines or thickened hairs which 

 frequently project downwards over the foot-joint from the 

 distal extremity of the segment to which the foot is articu- 

 lated. In the ScorpionidEe, as recognized by me, there is only 

 one of these spurs, the anterior ; in the Iurida3, Bothriuridai 

 (with one exception), and the Buthidai both are present, and 

 thoy attain their maximum of development in the Buthidaj, 

 where we find the anterior one fr-equently double. 



Of course it is hardly expected that this character, more 

 than any 01 her, will prove invariable; but it adds one more 

 to the sum of characters upon which, as I have long suspected, 

 the families or subfamilies of Scorpions must be based. Espe- 

 cially itnpoitant has it been in my et'timation in sliowing the 

 relationship between such genera as UroJacus and Ilenii- 



• I have consequently not mentioned the anatomical features connected 

 with the innervation and structure of the lung-books described by Prof. 

 Laiikester in 1^85. It vciukl be a highly intt-restiug study for any one 

 with the time to devote to it to see how far a classification based upon 

 iutonial aiiatomv would agree witli one sucli as that put fi)rwanl hiiv. 



