SCORPIONS AND THEIR ANTIQUITY 375 
intention of causing its own death cannot for a moment be 
admitted. 
Although, probably, many of my readers are acquainted 
with it, for the benefit of those who are not I must conclude 
with a well-known Indian story. Where scorpions and 
centipedes abound, it is the general custom of servants 
in India to turn their masters’ boots upside down before 
helping to put them on. In the instance in question, where 
this precaution had been omitted, a cavalry officer had just 
put his foot into a regulation boot, when he felt something 
sharp touch his heel. With the greatest promptitude he 
lifted his leg and stamped violently on the ground, in the 
hope of destroying the supposed scorpion before it had time 
to use its sting. He found that a spur, with the rowels 
uppermost, had been inadvertently dropped into the boot ! 
