372 TiMEHRI. 



We have never been stung by a scorpion, but on one 

 occasion found ourselves bitten on the back of the neck, 

 or rather between the shoulders, by a small centipede. 

 We were led to expe6l something very painful, but as 

 a matter of fa6l it was hardly worth thinking about. 

 True, the creature was young and not more than two 

 inches in length, but there was little pain and no signs of 

 anything like the paralysis of the mud dauber. The place 

 was hot and sore for a time, but not so fiery as the bite 

 of the common red ant and in an hour or two the pain 

 was entirely gone. 



In handling some newly colle6led orchids on one occa- 

 sion we were bitten on one of our fingers by what at first 

 we thought was a poisonous snake. As we did not catch 

 sight of the creature we thought it best to take every pre- 

 caution. There were the marks of two fangs, and soon 

 after a slight swelling and a rosy blotch the size of a 

 shilling. We tied the finger tightly below, sucked the 

 place, applied some iodine liniment which happened to 

 be at hand, and in an hour or two felt all right. There 

 was never anything more than a slight burning sensation, 

 but as we squeezed and sucked and burnt the part with 

 the iodine it can hardly be said that this was all that 

 might have resulted without interference. In looking 

 over the orchids afterwards we found a large hairy 

 spider (Mygale) and believe this must have been the 

 culprit. 



There appears to be great differences in the effe6ls of 

 bites and stings according to constitution and tempera- 

 ment. The new-comer suffers much more than |^n old 

 colonist, as is well known, especially if he is oKthe 

 florid robust type ; thin wiry people on the contrary are 



