THE SCORPION. 
567 
two altnoft contiguous upon the back. Befides eight 
feet they have two palpi, each armed at the extremity 
with a forceps. The tail is lengthened out by different 
articulations, the laft terminating in a fliarp and crooked 
fting. . . 
Scorpio Afir. This terrible and venomous animal is 
an inhabitant of Africa : Its colour is a deep glotly brown ; 
the ferments of which the body is compofed, each ter- 
minate in a band of bright yellow ; while the two eyes 
foarkle in the back like diamonds. Its appearance bears 
a ftrong refemblance to the lobfter. Mod of the travel- 
ler who have vifited Africa reprefent this animal not 
only as poifonous, but exceedingly irafcible and the e£- 
feas of its refentment, unlefs tpeedily relieved, become 
fatal -f-. 
It is to M. de Maupertuis that the public is indebted 
for the firft accurate and philofophical account of thefe 
animals. According to him, they are all viviparous ; 
the body of the pregnant female exhibiting, when open- 
ed between forty and fifty living young Each of thefe 
is ieparated from the reft by a thin membrane, while all 
are united by a common filament. In order to afeertain 
the venom of their fting, that philofopher bred a great 
number together, and let them loofe upon dogs and other 
animals ; and he found that fometimes the fting was fo 
empoifoned as to fwell the whole body of the wounded 
animal ; and in that cafe it brought on violent retching, 
convulfions, and death. At other times, whether from 
the difference of food, or fome other caufe, he found their 
fting harmlefs. ^ 
f Leha and Moore. 
