52 SCORPIONS OF AMERICA. [CH. I 



range of earthworms — that the Australian region should 

 be limited to the continent of Australia itself. It has 

 been mentioned that several of the genera of Old World 

 scorpions range into as many as three regions. We find 

 however no community at all between the scorpions of the 

 Old World and those of the New, excepting in the single 

 case of Cercophonius which has an Australian representa- 

 tive. There is too a considerable difference between the 

 Nearctic and the Neotropical. Only two genera are common 

 to the two, viz. Centrums and Diplocentrus. The Nearctic 

 which is only that portion of the Nearctic termed 

 Sonoran by Hart Merriam is inhabited by three other 

 genera. On the contrary the Neotropical region is ex- 

 ceedingly rich in scorpions. Mr Pocock mentions twenty- 

 two genera. As to families there is one, that of the 

 Chactidse, which is absolutely confined to the Neotropical 

 region. 



To express the distribution of the scorpions in accord- 

 ance with the facts it would therefore be necessary first of 

 all to separate the Old from the New World and then to 

 divide them into regions which apart from details resemble 

 those of Mr Sclater. The distribution of these animals 

 lends no assistance whatever to some of the suggested 

 continents that have been referred to. There is no re- 

 semblance between those of South America and South 

 Australia. And as already mentioned there are no 

 scorpions at all in New Zealand. But it must be borne 

 in mind that at present there is no information concerning 

 the scorpions of Patagonia, whence information of an 

 important character may come. There is however a close 



