436 CLASS ARACHNIDES. 



or other bodies, most frequently in ruins, or in sombre and 

 moist places, and even in the interior of houses. They run 

 fast; curving their tail in the form of an arch over the back, 

 they turn it in all directions, and make use of it as an offensive 

 and defensive weapon; they seize with their talons wood-lice 

 and diflerent insects, such as carabi, weevils, orthoptera, &c., 

 on which they feed, wound them with the sting of their tail, 

 pushing it in front, and then cause their prey to pass between 

 their forceps and jaws. They are fond of the eggs of ara- 

 ne'ides and those of insects. 



The sting of the European scorpioti, as far as it appears, is 

 not in general dangerous. That of the scorpion of Souvignar- 

 gues, of Maupertius, or the species which I name reddish 

 (occitanus), and which is stronger than the preceding, pro- 

 duces, according to the experiments which Dr. Maccary had 

 the courage to make upon himself, accidents more serious 

 and alarming. The poison appears to be more active in pro- 

 portion to the age of the scorpion. Volatile alkali is employed, 

 either intenaally or externally, to arrest its effects. 



Some naturalists have advanced that our indigenous species 

 produce two generations in the year. The one which appears 

 to me to be the best authenticated, takes place in the month 

 of August. According to M. Maccary, the female changes 

 skin before she brings forth the young. The male does so 

 likewise at the same period. 



The female bikings forth the young in succession. She 

 carries them on her back during the first days, does not then 

 come forth from her retreat, and watches for their preservation 

 for the space of a month, at the end of which time they are 

 sufiBciently strong to establish themselves elsewhere, and 

 provide for their own subsistence ; after two years they become 

 capable of engendering. 



Some have eight ej^es, and form the genus Buthus of M. 

 Leach. 



