276 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
The structure of the eye is seen by the microscope to be re- 
ticulated, or made like a net; and the trunk of this insect, 
by which it feeds, is not only small and sharp, but also 
transparent. The insects are of a blood red colour; and 
sometimes are seen in such multitudes on the surface of stand- 
ing water, as to make it appear all over red, whence many fan- 
ciful people have thought the water to be turned into blood. 
Of all parts of this animal, its branching arms, and the 
motion it makes with them in the water, deserve our greatest 
attention. By these the little creature can move in a straight 
line; waving its arms, as a bird does its wings in the air, 
sometimes upward, sometimes downward, sometimes to the 
right, sometimes to the left, yet still continuing to proceed 
in a right line. By striking the water with its arms, it can 
ascend with great velocity ; and by striking in a contrary 
direction, it dives with equal ease. As these motions are 
very rapid, the little animal appears to jump in the water, 
its head always tending to the surface, and its tail stretched 
downward. This insect is produced from an egg, which, 
when excluded, is carried on the back of the female, and 
soon is seen floating in the water round her. Its appearance 
at first is that of a very small whitish insect, endued with a 
very nimble motion. Except in colour, it suffers no change, 
only continuing to grow larger and redder, as it grows old. 
They sometimes remain several days on the surface of the 
water and sometimes are seen at. the bottom only ; but they 
are never at rest. They change their skin, like most other 
insects; and the cast skin resembles the insect itself so ex- 
actly, that one might mistake the mask for the animal. 
The SconpioN. There is scarcely an insect without 
wings that is not obnoxious to man : the smallest have the 
power of annoying him, cither by biting or stinging him ; 
and though each is in itself contemptible, they become for- 
midable from their numbers. But of all this class there is 
none so terrible as the scorpion, whose shape is hideous, 
whose size among the insect tribe is enormous, and whose 
sting is generally fatal. 
The scorpion is one of the largest of the insect tribe, and 
not less terrible from its size than its malignity. It resembles 
a lobster somewhat in shape, but is infinitely more hideous. 
There have been enumerated nine different kinds of this 
dangerous insect, chiefly distinguished* by their colour : 
there being scorpions yellow, brown, and ash-coloured ; 
others that are the colour of rusty iron, green, pale yellow, 
black, claret colour, white and grey. 
There are four principal parts distinguishable in this ani* 
