OFSERPENTS. 8g 



Finger, and run fafter than Crab-fiflies, with their Tails always 

 eredled *. 



W E read of a certain Emperor of Perfia, who defigning to 

 make a Tour into Media, durft not undertake the Journey, for 

 the vaft Quantity oi Scorpions lying in the Road : So that he was 

 obliged to detach a great Number of flout Fellows to deftroy 

 thofe pefliferous Animals, promifing a fuperior Reward to them 

 that kill'd mofl: : Till this Execution was over, he durft not ven- 

 ture his dignified Carcafs abroad. The Scythian Scorpions are of 

 the large Size, and terrible when they fhoot their Stings. 



In Madagafcar, a large African Ifland, are feveral Sorts of ^ 

 Scorpions, particularly Water-Scorpions, that lie in the Marfhes 

 and ftanding Waters, which are very mifchievous, killing Dogs 

 and Beafts, and then fucking their Blood. There is another Sort 

 of Scorpions with a great round black Belly, that are very dan- 

 gerous; for thofe whom they ftrike immediately fwoon, and 

 feme for two Days are weak, and cold as Ice. The only Reme- 

 dy they have, is that ufed again ft Serpent's Wounds, viz. to fet 

 the Patient by a great Fire, and giving him Antidotes to expel the 

 Poifon, which proves a Cure -f-. 



In Italy, La?id- Scorpions are call'd Scurtijicio, becaufe they 

 have their Poifon nel-pizzo, in the Extremity of their Tail. 

 Among the Germans, pizzo hJJjarp, as Jpits als een naalde, point- 

 ed as a Needle : The Country-people bring them in Sack-fuls to 

 Florence, and take them out with naked Hands, as if they were 

 {o many Eels, which fuppofes them to be of the innocent Kind, 

 like thofe white Scorpions in Pharos, a little Ifland in the Mouth 

 oi Nilus, where there is plenty of thefe pacifick Animals, who of- 

 fer no Violence to their Neighbours. Mention is made of other 

 Provinces where they live and hurt no body :|:. 



By the Spaniards the Scorpion is call'd Alaicran, from an 

 Ifland in Ainerica, called the Ifland of Scorpions, for the numerous 

 Multitude that ravage the Place. In Brafil is a vaft Number of 

 Scorpions, and fome four or five Foot long, in Shape like thofe of 

 Europe; but not fo venemous: Some of them chufe to kill them- 

 felves rather than die by the Hands of an Enemy. A certain 

 Gentleman who, made the Trial obferves, that a Scorpion being 



N furrounded 



* Duke of Uolfleht's Ambaffado'S Travels into Verfa, fparJtm.-< 



t Atlas Geogra^b. Afia, from La Croix. % Fran. Redi o^nj'culorum, ^ars prior. 



5 



