Of the Sting of a Scorpion. 213 
or Darts are not fheathed in the horny Sting 
at the Extremity of their Tail. 
The Opinions of Authors are very differ¬ 
ent as to this Creature’s having or not hav¬ 
ing any Opening in its Sting , through which 
a Poilon iffues into the Wound it makes. 
Galen fays, there is none; Pliny, Ter- 
TULLiAN ? fELiAN,ALDRovAND,and others 
affert, on the contrary, that there is. But I 
think this Matter is let in the trued Light 
by S ignior Redl, that diligent Naturalid, 
who took the Pains to examine Scorpions 
brought from Tunis, from Egypt, and 
from Italy, in order to difcover this Aper¬ 
ture, with two of the bed: Microfcopes in 
the Mufeum of the Grand Duke of Tus¬ 
cany, one whereof was made at Rome, 
and the other in England : but, though 
thefe Glaffe.s'were excellent, he was unable 
to difcer-n the lead Perforation. However, 
not fatisfied with only viewing them, he en¬ 
deavoured by Preffure to fqueeze from the 
Cavity of the Sting any Liquor it might con¬ 
tain ; but he found it fo hard and horny, 
that Squeezing could have no EffedL He, 
moreover, caufed a Scorpion to drike on a 
Plate of Iron, but no Moidure appeared 
thereon ; fo that he began to conclude Ga¬ 
len’s Opinion right : when he difcovered, 
accidentally, an exceeding fmall and almod 
invifible Drop of white Liquor upon the 
Sting; 
6 
