8 4 
A P T E R A • 
quently attended with the lofs of life in hot coun¬ 
tries. 
In Batavia they are faid to grow to the length of 
twelve inches ; and along the gold coafl to a greater 
fize. 
Heat probably gives a&dvity to the poifon, and a 
great degree of rage in the creature, which inflicts the 
wound may encreafe the danger : an inftance oi 
of fpeedy death even in our temperate climate oc¬ 
curred, a few years fince ; a dog dying in half an 
hour after being bitten by a viper. But happily 
fuch events are very rare in our favoured country; 
which has no claim to rank the fcorpion amongft the 
infefls of the ifland ; except from an aflertion, that a 
diminutive infe£t of that genus (no bigger than a flea) 
was once feen amongft fome feeds. 
Scorpions bring forth their young alive. 
Their food is chiefly worms and infe£ts. 
GENUS 10.—CANCER, CRAB. 
Crabs are long lived, and change their cruftace- 
X3us fkin every year. They feed equally upon plants, 
dead and live animals ; and frequently the ftrong and 
healthy ones devour fuch as have’juft changed their 
fkin, at which time they are weak and languifhing ; 
and their new fkin is foft ; at this time they fall a 
prey to many other animals,' and chiefly to difte- 
1 / '• rent 
