IS 
THE STUDY OF INSECTS. 
their general form they have some resemblance to scor¬ 
pions. They can be easily distinguished by the form of 
the front legs, which are greatly elongated, and have the 
tarsi broken up into many small segments; this gives these 
legs a more or less whip-lash-like appearance. In one 
family the abdomen also bears a whip-lash-like appendage. 
The mandibles are furnished with claws; the palpi are 
very large and armed with strong spines, and the abdomen 
is distinctly separated from the thorax. The order includes 
two families, both of which are represented in the United 
States. 
Family Ti-ielyphonidje (Thel-y-phon'i-das). 
The Tail Whip-scorpions . 
This family is represented in the United States by 
only a single species, the 
Giant Whip - scorpion, 
ThelypJionus giganteus 
(T h e-ly p h 'o-n us gi-gan - 
te'us). This species 
measures when full 
grown from four to five 
inches in length. Figure 
11 represents one less 
than natural size. These 
whip-scorpions are great¬ 
ly feared on account of 
theirsupposed venomous 
powers, but it is prob¬ 
able that there is no 
foundation for this fear. 
Although it has been 
stated often that their 
bites are poisonous, we 
Fig. ii .—Theiypkonus giganteus, can find no direct evi- 
