SCORPIONS, 288 
of no small importance. Mons, L. Becker, for instance, asserts that the senses 
of hearing and seeing are highly developed in Prionurus australis, the 
thick-tailed yellow scorpion of Algeria and Egypt ; Prof, Lankester, on the 
contrary, declares exactly the opposite to be the case. Discrepancies such as 
these and the deficiencies above mentioned show the need for fresh obser- 
vations upon the subject, and no further excuse need be offered for publishing 
the following notes upon the habits of some specimens of two Species of scor- 
pions, Parabuthus capensis and Euscorpius carpathicus, which I was fortunate 
enough to keep for some months in captivity. 
For the specimens of Parabuthus I gladly take this opportunity of express- 
ing my thanks to my friend, Mr. H. A. Spencer, of Cape Town, who kindly 
collected them for me at Port Elizabeth while acting as medical officer on 
board the Union Steam Ship Company’s S.S. “Mexican;” while for the Eyscor- 
pius Iam indebted to the kindness of Dr, Gestro, of the Natural History 
Museum at Genoa, This last genus of scorpion Prof, Lankester has also 
written about ; many of my observations, therefore, merely confirm those of 
this author. No description, however, has to my knowledge ever been 
published upon the habits of any species of Parabuthus. This genus, how- 
ever, belongs to the same family as Prionurus, and the behaviour of the two 
in captivity seems to be very similar. 
There is an abundance of evidence that scorpions are nocturnal, and mine 
were no exception tothe rule. They would spend the daytime huddled 
together in corners of their box or under pieces of wood ; at night they 
would wander about, presumably in search of food. It was easy, however, 
at any time during the day to rouse them from their sluggishness by applying 
a little artificial warmth to the box. One end of the box containing the 
Parabuthus was closed with a plate of perforated zinc. If this box was 
placed in the fender at a distance of about a couple of feet from a moderate 
fire, with the zinc end turned towards the grate, the scorpions would climh 
upon the metal plate and baskin the warmth. But immediately the box 
was brought near the bars of the grate they would all clamber or tumble from 
their position with ludicrous haste. It must not be supposed, however, that 
the amount of heat required to make them retreat was at all great. Asa 
matter of fact warmth that I could without inconvenience bear for several 
minutes upon my hand would throw these animals at once into a state of 
the greatest consternation, 
When walking both Parabuthus and Euscorpius carry the large pincers or 
chelz well in advance of the head; these appendages thus fulfil the office of 
antennz or feelers. In Parabuthus the body, however distended and heavy 
with food, is raised high upon the legs exactly as Prof, Lankester has de- 
seribed in Prionurus, and the tail is usually carried, curled in a vertical plane, 
over the hinder part of the back. In Euscorpius, on the contrary, as has also 
been pointed out by Prof, Lankester, the ventral surface of the body is 
