SCORPIONS, SPIDERS, AND MITES 
277 
the united head and 
thorax are compara- 
tively short ; but the 
abdomen is very long, 
and divided into a 
broad half, consisting 
of seven segments, 
and a narrow tail of 
five very movable 
segments, besides a 
sharp, curved sting at 
the extremity. There 
are from three to six 
pairs of eyes on the 
head and thorax, and 
in front of the body 
projects a pair of very 
large pincer-bearing 
foot-jaws. Scorpions 
are generally of a 
yellowish or black 
colour ; and thelargest 
black scorpions of Africa and India sometimes measure as much as 9 inches in length. They are 
nocturnal creatures, hiding under stones, or in holes in the ground, or in crevices in walls during 
the day. They kill the insects and other small animals on which they feed with their stings, the 
sting of one of the large black scorpions, like that of the large tropical centipedes, being as painful 
and dangerous as that of a snake. There are a few small and comparatively harmless species 
found on the shores of the Mediterranean, but most of the scorpions inhabit warmer countries. 
The Jointed Spiders are creatures i or 2 inches long, remarkable for having the head and the 
segments of the thorax 
separated from each other, 
so as to form distinct di- 
visions of the body. They 
have rather long and very 
hairy legs, and only one 
pair of well-developed 
eyes, another pair being 
rudimentary. Some 
species are diurnal and 
others nocturnal in their 
habits. They feed on in- 
sects, and sometimes on 
small birds, etc., and can 
inflict a very painful bite. 
They are found in South- 
eastern Europe, Africa, 
Southern Asia, and from 
the Southern States of 
North America south to 
Chili and Argentina. 
Ph&to hy Highley 
Photo by Highley 
EGYPTIAN SCORPION 
A fairly large and 'vencmoui representati've of the group 
EGYPTIAN SCORPION 
Shotas the sting uplifted for attack 
The False Scorp- 
IONS,orBOOK-SCORPIONS, 
