The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-09-26
Scorpions and Centipedes.

Scorpions and Centipedes.
Frequently though the scorpion is met
with, yet sting from one is rare. An
instance coming within my observation
was that of my chowkeenar, who had
been stung during the night while
asleep on his mat in the corner of the
veranda where the reptile had evident
ly dropped down from above. | was
awoke by loud 'bapre- bap'and the very
familiar ''sapkadyia" ("Father, oh,
father, snake has bitten mel') and on
going to the spot with light, we dis
covered the assailant to be, not snake,
but a scorpion, which was standing mo-
tionless in the corner, still angrily curry
ing its tail-a discovery which afforded
unspeakable relief to the chowkeedar,
who had thought his last hours were
come, and who now with folded hands
and upturned eyes devoutly acknowl
edged his eXcape in the exclamation:
"Dehai Ram il, jan buchgais ('Mercy,
oh, Rant my life is sparedr), He had
pressed upon the reptile, no doubt,
while turning round, and had been
stung on the arm, which rapidly swelled
to great size, accompanied by pain so
excessive as to cause feeling of faint
ness. With his mind, however, relieved
from the worst" he soon set about
collecting herbs from the compound and
garden, under the application of hot
mashes of which the pain gradually sub
sided, and along with the swelling, dis
appeared in couple of days.
Being curious to watch the habits of
the scorpion, | placed one under glass
case along with a grasshopper two inches
long, whose sharp-spiked legs constituted
its strong natural defence. For awhile
the scorpion took no notice of the wild
leaps of his companion, though every
now and again it struck against him in
rebounding from the glass cover, but at
length, irritated by the continuance of
these, it assumed the offensive. After
several unsuccessful clutches, he man
aged to seize with his toes leg of the
grasshopper which he held in his jaws,
while endeavoring to transfix him with
his sting, till he succeeded in driving it
through and through him. The leaps
of the grasshopper now speedily. grew
feeber, and soon he lay motionless and
dead For twenty -four hours the scor-
pion took no further notice of his CON-
panion, and then, pressed by hunger, he
bethought himself of him, and speedily
devoured him.
Like the scorpion the centipede also
seems partial to grasshoppers, when il
can get them. An enormously magnifed
copy as it is of the little home centipede,
the sight of one five or six inches hong,
with its multitude of prehensile feet all
moving at once, and its long feelers steer
ing its way, causes an involuntary creep
ing of the flesh. Once while reclining
on sofa perusing a daily paper after
midday breakfast, preparatory to ''turn-
ing in" for the customary siesta, was
surprised by thump-thumping against
a newspaper which was lying in corner
of the room, and the continuance of the
sound induced me to jump up to ascertain
the cause, suspecting, of course, a snake
and frog. The raising of the paper dis
closed centipede of about five inches
long, holding in his jaws large grass
hopper, which he was quietly hollo wing
out without the least regard to the fran
tic kicks IF his victim, which had occa-
stoned the noise against the paper. MOI
did he seem disposed to relinquish so
choice morsel, but allowed himself to
be turned over and over without even
relaxing his hold; and as the grasshop-
per could not physically recoup his loss,
let his devourer continue, till in q
quarter of an hour only the shell re-
manned, and only then did the diminish
ing kicks of the grasshopper cease al
together
On another occasion, in the hot month
of May, during my morning additions,
while raising the sponge to my face, |
was met by the near view of an ugly pair
of horns, followed by head, emerging
from one of the pores. Not an instant
too soon, dropped it down again on
the basin stand, upon which the full
length of hideous centipede gradually
unwound itself.
Such are instances of the way these
reptiles are come upon now and again in
India, generally when and where least
expected, and showing the wariness peo-
pie require to practice in every move
ment, even in lifting a book or paper, or
putting the hand anywhere where the
eye does not also reach. The bite of the
centipede is rarely heard of, but it is
more or less poisonous, and, like the
sting of the scorpion, is considered Sc
rious to children,-AU the Year Round.
1t costs So, 100 to pay the salaries of
the agent and assistants to distribute