SPIDERS, SCORPIONS, AND MITES. 193 
she never quitted hold till her belly was full, 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 arc 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 arc 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 ( Phcilangium ), 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- " 
N 
