SCORPIONS. 294 
irritation. So that the true account of at least some of the so-called cases of 
suicide by scorpions seems to be this: the animals in reality have died from 
the heat to which they were exposed, and the observers have erroneously 
inferred that the thrusts of the tail were intended to putan end to the 
animal’s sufferings. My own experiments are all in favour of this conclusion- 
TL held a specimen of Ewscorpius in a corked test-tube over alow fire, As 
soon as the air in the tube began to grow warm the animal, apparently in 
great distress, struggled about the confined space for a few seconds, brandish- 
ing its tail the while, then lapsed into insensibility. The glass of the tube 
at this period was only slightly warm to my hand. Taken out of the tube and 
placed near an open window, the animal quickly revived; hut it died the 
third time the experiment was tried. On no occasion, however, did it attempt 
to sting itself. I also experimented upon LEuscorpius and Parabuthus by 
focussing the sun’s rays upon them, and by placing mustard upon the mem- 
brane between the plates of the back. Both the species attempted to remove 
the cause of irritation by scraping atthe burning spot with the sting of the 
tail ; but they seemed particularly careful not to sting themselves, 
There seems, however, to be sufficient evidence to prove that some scorpions 
have been seen to sting themselves during the course of experiments of a 
nature similar to those described above. One observer indeed mentions, in 
the case of an Indian scorpion, that blood issued from the wound made by 
the sting—a piece of corroborative detail which enhances the probability of 
the accuracy of the observation. But itis @ priori improbable that the 
scorpion has any intention of killing itself. It seems, however, not improbable 
that a random blow meant for an unseen enemy might accidentally strike 
and pierce the deliverer ; or that when the irritation is localised, asin the 
cases of burning with a lens, acid, whisky,* or mustard, the scorpion, failing 
to remove the substance by the ordinary means of scraping with the tail, 
might thrust its sting into the spot affected, with the intention not of 
killing itself, but of destroying the agent that is causing the pain, Or, indeed, 
it is conceivable that the mental faculties are so deranged by torture and the 
approach of death, that the scorpion does not recognise its own body by its 
sense of touch, and stings it asit would sting any other object within reach 
of its tail. Ifa blow inflicted in either of these ways were to pierce the brains 
or were to seriously lacerate the great dorsal blood-vessel, it might, one can 
Suppose, cause death of itself, independently of the burning, 
So that if it be admitted that scorpions have sometimes killed themselves, 
our verdict, it would seem, must be—accidental suicide, or suicide while of 
unsound mind, (The above appeared in Nature, 1st June, 1893.) 
* It is stated that in some parts of N. America scorpions sting themselves to death if a 
drop or two of whisky be placed upon their backs; and that from this manifestation of their 
dislike of alcohol, these animals are known to the natives as teetotallers, 
