The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1884-10-09
scorpions and Cenupedes.

Frequently though the scorpion ~
met with, yet a sting from one iS rare.
An instance coming within my obserya-
ton was that Of my c~howkeedar, who
had been stung during the night while
asleep on his mat In u corner OF the
veranda whore the reptile had evidently
dropped down from above. l was
awoke by a loud ~"bapre-bap' and tho
very familiar "sapkatdyla" C''Father,
oh, father, a snake has bitten meV')
and, on going TO the spot with a light,
we discovered the assailant TO DO. not a
snake, but a scorpion, which was stand.
ing m~otionloss In the corner, still
angrily curving It's tail-a discovery
which afforded u%nspeakable relief 10
the chowkeedar, who had thought his
last hours were come, and who now
with folded hands and upturned Dyes
deyoutly acknowledged his escape In
the exclamation; "Dohai Ram il, jan
buchgaia" ("Mercy, oh, Ram, my life
Is s~paredI'), lilo had pressed upon the
reptile, no doubt, while turning round,
and had been stung on the arm, which
rapidly swelled TO q great size, accom-
panied by pain so excessive rs 10 cause
a feeling OF faintness, With his mind,
however, relieved from the worst" ho
soon set about collecting herbs from
the compound and garden, under the
application OF hot mashos Of which tho
pain gradually subsidized, and, along
with tho swelling, disappeared In a
couple OF days.
Being curious TO watch tho habits OF
tho scorpion, | placed one undor a
glass cast along with a grasshopper
two inches long, whose sharp-spiked
legs constituted It's strong natural do.
tense, For awhile the scorpion took
no notice OF tho wild leaps OF his COM
panion, though every now and again II
struck against him in rebounding from
the glass cover, but nj length, irritated
by the continuance Of these, II assumed
the offensive, After several unsuocess-
full clutches, no managed TO seize with
his toes u leg Of the grasshoppor, which
no held in his jaws, while endeavorlng
TO transix him with his sting, till he
succeeded In driving ID through aud
through him. The leaps Of the grass.
hopper now speedily grew feebler, and
soon no lay motlonlesS and dead. For
twenty-four hours the scorpion took no
further notice OF his companion, and
then, pressed by hunger, he bethought
himself of him, and speedily devoured
him.
Like the scorpion the centlpedo also
seems partial TO grasshoppers, when II
can got them, An enormously magnl-
fled copy as IL Is of the little home
centipede, the sight OF one five or six
inches long, with It's multitude Of pre-
hensile feet all moving at once, and It's
long feelors steering its way, causes an
involuntary creeping of the flesh. Once
while reclining on a sofa peruslng q
daily paper after midday breakfast,
preparatory 10 turning In" for the
customary siesta, | was surprised by a
humping against n newspaper which
was lying In u corner Of the room, and
the continuance OF tho sound induced
mo TO jump up to ascertain tho cause,
suspecting, OF course, n snake and frog,
The raising OF the paper disclosed a
centipode OF about five inches long,
holding in its jaws u large %grasshoppor,
which no was quietly following out
without tho least regard TO the frantic
kicks Of his victim, which had Occa-
stoned the noise against tho paper.
Nor did he seem disposed TO ~relinQuish
so choice n morsel, but allowed himself
10 be turned over aud over without even
relaxing his hold, and as tho grass
hopper could not physically rccoup his
loss, | let the dovOurer continue, I'LL In
a quarter of an hour only the shell no.
NAMED, and only then did the dimln-
ishing kicks OF the grasshopper u
altogether.
On another occasion, In the hot month
Of May, during my morning ablu-
tons, while raising tho sponge 10 my
face, | was met by the near view Of an
ugly pair Of horns, followed by q head,
emerging from one Of the pores, Not
an instant too soon, | dropped II down
again on the basin stand, upon which
the full length Of u hideous centipedo
gradually unwound itself,
Such arc instances Of the way these
reptiles are come upon now and again
In India, generally when and whore
least expected, and showing tho wari-
ness people require TO practice in every
movement, even In lifting a book or
paper, or putting the hand anywhere
where the eye does not also reach, Tho
bite OF the centipede is rarely heard Of,
but IL Is more or less poisonous, and,
like the sting of tho scorpion, Is consid-
sidered serious TO children.--AR tho
Year Round.