The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-07-22
The Scorpions of Egypt.

recently published the following account
of fight between mouse and scorpion
"ln February, 1868, | received box
by post containing two live scorpions,
kindly presented to me by my friend, the
late lamented j. Keast Lord, who had
caught them under stone at lIeliopolis,
in Egypt. Wishing to test the power Of
the scorpions sting, got glass globe
and turned in one of the scorpions. A
mouse having been caught in the trap,
thought might just as well let the scor-
pion try his power upon it as the cat.
therefore shook the mouse into the glass
with the scorpion. The scorpion, an aver
agc-sized one, Immediately resisted the
atfront and the mouse, who had never
evidently seen scorpion before, did not
know whether he was his friend or his
enemy. Not liking the continued jump
ings Of the mouse, the scorpion twisted
and began brandishing about his sting.
The mouse shortly crossed his path. The
scorpion instantly lunged his sting into
him. The challenge woke up the mouse,
who began to jump up and down like Il
jack in the box. When he became quiet,
the scorpion again attacked the enemy,
with his claws extended like the pictures
of the scorpion in tho zodiac. lie made
another shot at the mouse, but missed him.
| then called "Time I" to give both com
batants a rest. When the mouse had got
his wind, | stirred up the scorpion once
more, and as "the fancy" say she came
up smiling" The mouse during the in
terval had evidently made up his mind
that he would have to fight, and not strike
his colors to a scorpion as he would to
eat When, therefore, the scorpion came
within range, the mouse gave squeak
and bit him on the back; the scorpion at
the same moment planted his sting well
between the mousc's ears on the top of his
head. The scorpion then tried to retreat,
but could not, for one claw had got en-
tangled in the fur of the mouse. The
mouse and scorpion then closed, and rolled
over each other like two cats fighting, the
scorpion continually stabbiug the mouse
with his sting, his tail going with the We
locity of needle in sewing machine
When the scorpion got tired, the mouse
got hold of his tail with his teeth and gave
it sharp nip. The mouse seized the OPP
portunity, and Immediately bit off two of
the scorpions side legs. He then retired,
and began to wash his face | had expec-
ted, of course, that the poison of the scor-
pion would have killed the mouse, but he
didn't seem a bit the worse for it. When
| examined him the next morning, he was
quite lively and well, and had nearly eaten
up the whole of the scorpion for his break.
fast. OF course | rewarded the mouse for
his plucky conduct by giving him some
milk, and by letting him go in a place
where it was not likely the cat would
find him.
scorpions are inhabitants of hot eli.
mates; they live among stones, logs of
wood, etc, in such places in fact, as those
inhabited in England by wood lice and
centipedes, etc. They are said to attain
the length of twelve inches in Batavia
and along tho Gulf Coast, | have heard
but hardly believe it) they are found as
big as a good sized lobster the general
size is about three inches long. 1t not
unfrequently happens that scorpions are
brought to England in timber ships, etc.,
and have received more than one scor-
pion thus brought over"