156 SCORPIO AFER. 



animal is irritated, it accumulates, in the form of two. or three little 

 drops of a whitish colour. When spread on paper it produced a 

 spot like that which would be caused by oil, and this part of the 

 paper by dessication becomes firmer and transparent. 



All the species of this genus are capable of stinging in a greater 

 or less degree \ but according to Maupertuis and Redi, the full 

 effect of the venom seems only to be felt when the powers of the 

 animal have not been for a long time exerted. The European 

 species are scarcely in any instance capable of inflicting a danger- 

 ous wound. In some parts of Italy and the south of France, in- 

 stances frequently occur of their sting causing violent local inflam- 

 mation, acute pain, and fever, on man ; but their malignityin Europe 

 is trifling when compared to what the natives of Africa and the 

 East are known to experience. In Batavia, where they grow to an 

 enormous size, there is no removing any piece of furniture without 

 the utmost danger of being stung by them. Bosman assures us 

 that along the Gold coast, they are often found larger than an or- 

 dinary sized lobster ; and that their sting is inevitably fatal. The 

 only means of saving the lives of our soldiers who were stung by 

 them in Egypt, was amputation. One species is said to occasion 

 madness; and the black scorpion both of South America and 

 Ceylon, frequently inflicts a mortal wound.* The remedies are 

 the same as those already advised against the bites of venomous 

 serpents. The oil in which scorpions had been infused was for- 

 merly applied, as a remedy, to the wounded part. Fomentations 

 and emollient cataplasms have been found useful ; but Dr. Pan- 

 justly observes, " as the wound is seldom dangerous, many reme- 

 dies have obtained unmerited credit." 



SCORPIO AFER.— Indian Scorpion. 



Spec. Char. Pectens with thirteen teeth; body 

 blackish-brown, with the joints of the feet and 



Ulloa's Foy.i.61,62. 



