Scorpion. - 



-INSECTS. Myriapoda. 



279 



insects of quite a different texture from tliose we liave 

 previously glanced at. These, at least many of the 

 species, have very much the appearance of minute 

 crahs. Their bodies are transverse, have a hardened 

 integument or shell, and are armed with numerous 

 shai'p spines. Others belonging to an allied genus have 

 the body armed with two long spines, frequently curved, 

 from an inch to an inch and a half in lengtl). These 

 aie all exotic species. Many are most beautifully 

 adorned, the cephalo-thorax being of a bright golden 

 yellow, and the long spines of a bright steel-blue. Very 

 b.'illiant species are found in Borneo, and in the islands 

 of the Eastern Archipelago. This brilliancy of colour- 

 ing, however, fades or disappears after death, but speci- 

 mens occasionally retain much of their brilliancy for a 

 considerable length of time. 



SCORPION [Scorpio) a genus belonging to the class 

 Anichtiida. The Scorpion is one of the most renowned 

 of all obnoxious creatures, and the most dreaded of the 

 insect tribes; they have furnished the poet with similes 

 the most expressive that language can convey, and in 

 Holy Writ the Scorpion is used as symbolical of all 

 that is hateful and malignant. That the Scorpion has 

 engaged the attention of people in the most remote 

 ages is certain, and, in the ancient mythology of Egypt, 

 we find it represented as the genius of evil. Fabu- 

 lous accounts of these creatures exist in abundance ; 

 the most potent mediciual virtues have been ascribed 

 to them, and also the most poisonous and malignant 

 qualities ; so much so, that even to be touched by one 

 was deemed a fatal occurrence. Scorpions of mon- 

 strous size were fabled, others with wings, and of habits 

 so ferocious that the winged monsters attacked every 

 one who came in tlieir way. 



Exaggerated as the records of antiquity certainly 

 are, j'et Scorpions are venomous, stinging with much 

 virulence. The sting is usually followed by painful 

 tumours, but in this case, as in the stinging of wasps, 

 the efi'ect is much more painful with persons of inflam- 

 matory constitutions. Some species are as much as 

 eight inches in length. Not one is found in this 

 country, but the Scorpion is met with in the south of 

 France and in Italy. Some of the species from Africa, 

 particularly those from the Gold Coast, are the largest 

 known. The female brings forth her young alive, 

 usually from twenty to forty ; these only differ from the 

 parent in being smaller : as the creatures grow, they 



from time to time cast their skins, until tliey arrive at 

 maturity. The species are numerous, and in many 

 localities are exceedingly obnoxious. Scorpions having 

 the abdomen articulated, enables them to sting in all 

 directions. There are twelve of these articulations; 

 the palpi are very large, resembling the claws of a crab, 

 with these they seize their victims ; the abdomen is 

 terminated by a curved spine or sting, at the extremity 

 of which beneath, are two small orifices, out of which a 

 venomons fluid is discharged in the act of stinging. 



Scorpions are found in holes, under stones, logs, &c., 

 in fact, in almost any cool place, particularly in houses; 



they run quickly, curling their tail over Ihuir backs ; 

 they prey upon all kinds of insects, rendering them 

 defenceless by stinging them before they feed upon 

 them. The sight of these animals is acute ; they have 

 usually six or, in some species, eight eyes. 



CLASS-MYllIArODA. 



This class is composed of two orders, and in it are 

 assembled all those animals commonly known under 

 the names of Centipedes, Millipedes, and Scolopcndrtr ; 

 they cannot be called true insects, since they have the 

 body divided into a great niunber of segments, each of 

 which is furnished with a pair of legs ; they are also 

 destitute of wings. 



The order CuiLOPODA is characterized by having 

 two short antenna;, thick at the base, and tapering to a 

 ]ioint at the apex ; the mandibles are furnished with a 

 palpiform process, and have numei'ous denticulations 



at the apex ; their feet are numerous, and each is ter- 

 minated by a single claw ; the representatives of the 

 palpi are two jointed appendages, resembling legs, 

 being temiinated each by a claw ; the body is elon- 

 gate and flattened, of a corneous consistencj', and 

 divided into numerous segments. The Myriapoda are 

 usually much neglected, more so than any other divi- 

 sion of the Artioulata. They are to people in general 

 repulsive creatures, and to casual observation oU'er few 

 apparent differences in the species ; notwilhstanditig 

 this, they have well-defined characters, and to the 



