JHE SCORFIOl'T, ^48 ? 



Genus VI Pa?iorpa. "^'hc Scorpio?i^ 



£ ORMERLY there was only one fpecies of thefe animals 

 known, till Linnaus difcovered four different kinds^ 

 which he has enumerated in the lateft editions of his 

 fyftem of nature. They are all diftinguiflied by a cylin- 

 drical probofcis, of an horny tranfparent fubftance ; by two 

 palpi, and three llemmata above the head. The tail of 

 the male fex is furnifhed with a weapon refembling the 

 dart of a fcorpion ; a circumltance from which almoil all 

 naturalifts have given it that name f . 



The formidable inftrument with which the tall of the 

 male fcorpion is armed, is not form-ed for any hoftile 

 purpofe ; it is ufed by him m laying hold of his female 

 during their amorous embraces. 



There are varieties of the common fcorpion ; that moft 

 frequent is of a dark brown, and yellow upon the fides. 

 The tail is formed by the three laft fegments of the ab- 

 domen, and is of a maroon colour ; the wings, which are 

 as long as the body, are diaphanous, and reticulated, 

 with fibres and ilreaks of a brown colour. There are 



fome 



\ Vide AJdrov. Mouffct, p. 6a & Frifcb; p, 29, 



