FOSSIL SCORPIONS. 307 



Fossil' Scorpions. 



The address of my friend Count Sternberg to the mem- 

 bers of the National Museum of Bohemia (Prague, 1835,) 

 contains an account of his discovery of a fossil Scorpion in 

 the ancient Coal formation at the village of Chomle, near 

 Radnitz, on the S. W. of Prague. This most instructive 

 fossil (the first of its kind yet noticed) was found in July, 

 1834, in a stone-quarry, on the outcrop of the Coal measures,. 

 near a spot where coal has been wrought since the sixteenth 

 century. In the same quarry were found four erect trunks 

 of trees, and numerous vegetable remains, of the same spe- 

 cies that occur in the great Coal formation of England. 



A series of drawings of this Scorpion was submitted to a 

 select committee at the meeting of NaturaUsts and Physi- 

 cians of Germany, in Stutgard, 1834 ; and from their re- 

 port the subjoined particulars are taken. All our Figures, 

 (PI. 45'.) are copied from those attached to this Report, in 

 the Transactions of the Museum of Bohemia, April, 1835.* 



* This fossil Scorpion differs from existing species, less in general struc- 

 ture than in the position of the eyes.. In the latter respect, it approaclies 

 nearest to the genus Androctonus, which, like it, has twelve eyes, but dif- 

 ferently disposed from those of the fossil species. From the nearly circular 

 arrangement of these orgnns in the latter animal, it has been ranged under 

 a new genus, Cyclopihahnus. 



The sockets of all tiicse twelve eyes are perfectly preserved, (PI. 46'. fig. 

 3.) One of the small eyes, and the left large eye, still retain their form, 

 with the cornea preserved in a wrinkled state, and their interior filled with 

 earth: 



The jaws also arc very distinct, but in a reversed position. (PI. 4G'. fig,.. 

 2. a.) Both these jaws have three projecting teeth, and one of them (PI. 46', 

 Figs. 4. 5.) exhibits, when magnified, the hairs with which its horny inte- 

 gument was covered. 



The rings of the thorax, (apparently eight) and of the tail, are too much 

 dislocated for their number to be accurately distinguished, but they differ 

 5 from all known species. The view of the back (PI. 46', Fig. 1.) has been 

 obtained by cutting into the stone from behind. 



The under surface of the animal is well exposed in Fig. 2, with its cha- 



