6l2 



SCIENTIFIC NEWS. 



[June 29, 1888. 



tionately very large — is occupied by the venom- 

 reservoir, which even in a dead and dried specimen 

 not more than four inches in total length equals a grain 

 of wheat in size, while in the living animal it is 

 naturally very much larger. And the strength of the 

 poison is very considerable, although varying, of course, 

 in accordance with the size of the individual. Thus the 

 sting of one of the small European scorpions is little 

 more formidable than that of a wasp or a bee, while, on 

 the other hand, the large tropical species are fully as 

 dangerous as a viper, their sting not unfrequently 

 resulting in death. Yet there is a strange psculiarity 

 about their poison — possibly common to all poisons, of 

 whatever nature or whatever degree— which causes its 

 efficacy to diminish in exact proportion to the frequency 

 vvith which it has been introduced into the system of 

 the recipient. In other words, the first sting produces 

 syinptoms far more serious than the second, the second 

 than the third, and so on until the vanishing point is 

 attained. This fact has been conclusively proved by 

 actual experiment, a well-known investigator permitting 

 himself to be stung again and again, until his system 

 became so habituated and inured to the effects of the 

 poison that at last he suffered no more than the mere 

 transitory smart occasioned by the actual puncture. And 

 others who, although involuntarily, have more than once 

 been stung, seem to unite in asserting that the first 

 experience is invariably the most severe. 



The orifice in the sting through which the venom 

 enters the wound is double, and is situated slightly above 

 the point, just as is that in the poison-fang of a snake. 

 In shape each perforation resembles the eye of a very 

 fine needle, too small, in most cases, to be visible by the 

 unassisted eye, but apparent enough when the aid of an 

 ordinary pocket lens is called in. And the muscular 

 system in connection with the venom-sac is so arranged, 

 that the pressure thrown upon it by the employment of 

 the sting causes a drop of the liquid to flow into the 

 c'lamel with sufficient force to carry it through the 

 dcuble orifice, and into the blood of the victim. 



Does the scorpion ever employ its weapon against 

 itself, and become under certain circumstances a suicide ? 

 Tradition asserts that it does, but tradition is often 

 wrjng; and wrong it appears to be in this particular in- 

 stance. For all analogy tells against such a supposi- 

 tion. The venom of a viper or a cobra, for example, is 

 entirely without effect when introduced into its own 

 system, or into that of another of its own kind ; why, 

 then, should that of a scorpion prove fatal under similar 

 circumstances ? The structure of the tail, again, renders 

 such a proceeding an operation of the utmost difficulty, 

 if not an utter impossibility. Let the investigator 

 examine the tail of a recently-killed scorpion, and he 

 will find that, bend it as he will — of course within its 

 own natural limits — the point could scarcely, by volun- 

 tary exertion on the part of its owner, be forced to enter 

 the body. Once more, the shelly mail which covers the 

 body of the scorpion is far too hard and thick for the 

 claw readily to penetrate, while the membrane which con- 

 nects the joints is extremelj' tough and leather-like, and 

 scarcely likely to be pierced by the sting if employed in 

 any ordinary manner. 



But, say eye-witnesses, we have seen scorpions so sting 

 themselves, and they will always do so when surrounded 

 by a circle of fire from which they cannot escape. How 

 is this to be accounted for ? 



Probably by the fact that such observers fancied that 



they saw just a little more than that which really took 

 place. A scorpion, when surrounded by a narrow ring 

 of fire, would almost certainly die, not from a self-in- 

 flicted wound but from sufibcation ; for the air around 

 him would be so rarefied as to render respiration quite 

 impossible. And, in dying, he would undoubtedly bend 

 his tail over his back as though in the act of wounding 

 himself with his sting ; for such, with more creatures 

 than the scorpion, is the ordinary attitude of death. 

 Cocktail beetles, for instance, almost invariably bend 

 their tails over their backs when killed, and earwigs 

 frequently do the same ; j'et we do not impute suicidal 

 motives to them. Why, then, should we do so to the 

 scorpion ? 



The fact appears to be that observers have taken a 

 little too much for granted. They have seen results, 

 apparently due to certain causes, and have instantly 

 assumed, without investigation, that no other cause 

 could be possible. They have upheld an absurd theory 

 in the face of all analogy and common sense, and have 

 even attributed to the scorpion under certain circum- 

 stances a proceeding which its very structure renders an 

 impossibility. And so into our natural history has crept 

 one of the manj' errors which still disfigure it, and which 

 must be ruthlessly expunged before we can hope to 

 bring our records into accordance with facts. 



Snakes in Burmah. — We find in the Rangoon Times 

 some notices of the serpents of the Far East, which 

 would be more valuable if the species could be identified. 

 There are said to be two green tree- snakes, both of 

 which reach the length of three feet. One of them has 

 a head " shaped like the ace of clubs " with a double set 

 of poison-fangs ; it is venomous, but not deadly. The 

 other has a wedge-shaped head, and about a foot of the 

 tail is of a purplish green (?) ; it is not poisonous. After 

 death the bright green of the skin soon fades out. The 

 writer mentions a case of a serpent springing. A small 

 snake, about two and a half feet in length, crossed the 

 road obliquely in front of him. On reaching the lower 

 edge of the road, where was a small culvert, it shot 

 straight out over the edge of the culvert and dropped 

 three or four feet away into a drain. 



Mention is made of a large dark-coloured snake, about 

 six and a half feet long, which some boys had caught by 

 the tail and were seeking to drag out of its lair. It 

 made a groaning sound like that uttered by a calf when 

 being tied up for market. 



Snakes' eggs are commonly eaten. They have a 

 tough skin like parchment, and the interior is a custard- 

 like mass of the same consistence all through. 



The " hpoongyee " snake has alternate bands of light 

 yellow and dark chocolate or ash-colour ; each band is 

 three inches broad. The body of the snake is not 

 cylindrical but three-square, and its average length is five 

 feet. 



It is commonly said that carbolic acid is rapidly fatal 

 to snakes, even if dropped on the skin, This the author 

 found quite erroneous. Even a large dose given inwardly 

 did not prove fatal in less than half an hour. The 

 strength of the acid is not stated. 



Differences in the Milk of Cows. — Mr. H. E. 

 Alvard, of Massachusetts, has recently made a compila- 

 tion of facts bearing on this subject. He finds that the 

 total solids range from 1 1 to 20 per cent. The fat varies 

 to a greater extent, from 2 to 12 per cent. The " solids 



