CASE 

 III. 



36 ARACHNOIDEA. 



Sub-family Scorpiones (True Scorpions). 



The characters of the family are two large ocelli, placed close 

 together in the middle of the cephalothorax, smaller lateral ocelli, 

 various in number, distributed along its anterior margin, and the 

 six last joints of the abdomen narrowed into a tail terminating in 

 a sting. They have also two curious comb-shaped appendages on 

 the under side at the base (anterior part) of the abdomen, the use 

 of which is doubtful. 



They live in tropical regions in all parts of the world, extending 

 their range more or less into the warmer districts of the tempe- 

 rate zones. Their sting is not barbed, but its point is perforated, 

 and it wounds simply by penetrating the skin, and conveying 

 poison into the wound through two orifices from a poison bag. 

 The poison is said sometimes to be as white as milk. Although 

 the scorpion is much dreaded, and widely renowned for its sting, 

 ihere is no doubt that its injurious effects are much exaggerated. 

 According to Kirby and Spence the only means of saving the 

 lives of our soldiers who were stung by them in Egypt was 

 amputation ; and they add that one species was said to occasion 

 madness, and that the black scorpion, both of South America 

 (Query South Africa, Buthiis afer,) and Ceylon, frequently inflicts 

 a mortal wound. All this is very doubtful, but it may be true 

 that, as is stated on good authority, the sting of certain kinds 

 common in South America causes fevers, numbness in various 

 parts of the body, tumours in the tongue, and dimness of sight, 

 which symptoms last from twenty-four to forty-eight hours. It 

 is curious, however, that the only approach to personal authentic 

 information on the subject which Kirby and Spence had, is 

 .against the sting being so hurtful. Mr. W. S. MacLeay told them 

 that soon after his arrival at Havana he was stung by an immense 

 scorpion, but was agreeably surprised to find the pain con- 

 siderably less than that of the sting of a wasp, and of incom- 

 parably shorter duration. 



