SPIDERS, SCORPIONS, AND MITES. 



193 



she never quitted hold till her belly was fall, and then 

 dragged the remainder home." * 



There are several hideous forms of the group in tropical 

 climates, of which the best known is that of the Scorpions. 

 It is impossible to look on one of these, and not be re- 

 minded of a lobster — the great palps, with stout dilated 

 pincers, resembling closely the claws of that much more 

 respectable crustacean. The Scorpions are widely scat- 

 tered ; several are found in the south of Europe, but it is 

 in the tropics that they most abound. The Scorpio afer 

 of the East Indies grows to six inches in length, and its 

 sting is rather a formidable affair. We once experienced 

 the effects of a West Indian Scorpion's venom, which 

 were, however, not more severe than those of a wasp's or 

 bee's sting. The weapon is a hooked, very acute joint at 

 the extremity of a six-knobbed tail, within which is a bag 

 of subtile poison, infused into the wound through two 

 minute slits near the point. These animals lurk under 

 stones and in dark crevices, living on beetles and other 

 insects, which they catch with their claws. Tiny species 

 closely resembling them, except that the tail and the 

 sting are wanting, are common in old books and papers, 

 and sometimes parasitically infesting insects. These con- 

 stitute the genus Chelifer, and form the connecting link 

 between the Scorpions and the Harvest-men or Shepherd- 

 spiders (Phalangium), which are so common in autumn, 

 remarkable for the great slenderness and length of their 

 many -jointed legs, which continue to move a long time 

 after being separated from the body. 



The tribe of Mites comprises small and generally very 



* "Travels in Italy." 



