The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-07-15
THE SCORPIONS OF EGYPT.

Mr.. Frank auckland the naturalist, has
recently published the following account
of a fight between IA mouse and scorpion
"In FEBRUARY, 1868, l received box by
post containing two live scorpions kindly
presented to me by my friend, the late Ia
mented J. Keast Lord, who had caught
them under stone at Heliopolis, 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 l might just
as we'll let the scorpion try his power upon
it as the cat therefore shook the mouse
into the glass with the scorpion. The
scorpion, an average-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
iumpings of the mouse, the scorpion twis-
ted and began brandishing about his sting.
The mouse shortly crossed his path. The
scorpion instantly lunged his sting into
him. This challenge woke up the mouse,
who began to jump up and down like
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 the zodiac. He made
another shot at the mouse, but missed him.
1 than called Timer 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, he came
up smiling The mouse during the inter-
val had evidently made up his mind that
he would have to fight, and not strike his
colors to a scorpion as he would to cat.
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 we'll between the
mouse's ears on the top Of his head. The
scorpion then tried to retreat, but could
not, for one claw had got entagled in the
fur of the mouse. The mouse and scor-
pion then closed, and rolled over each other
like two cats fighting, the scorpion con-
tinually stabbing the mouse with his sting,
his tail going with the velocity of needle in
a sewing machine. When the scorpion got
tired, the mouse got hold of his tail with
his teeth and gave it a sharp nip. The
mouse seized the opportunity, and imme-
diateiy bit off two of scorpions side legs.
He then retired, and began to wash his
face. had expected, of course, that the
poison of the scorpion would have killed
the mouse, but he didn't seem 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 breakfast Of course l
rewarded the mouse for his plucky conduct
by giving him some milk, and by letting
him go in 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 the Gold Coast, l have heard
(but hardly believe it) they are found as
big as 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 scorpion
thus brought over"