Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1886-11-26
THE SCORPIONS OF MExIC o.

One of the most common pests IN
Mexico are the alcarans, Or scorpions,
for during certain seasons OF the year
they are as numerous as flies around
sugar-house. They are within the
cracks of the wall, between the bricks
of tiles of the floor, hiding inside your
garments, darting everywhere with in
conceivable rapidity. their tails (the
.sbusiness end" which holds the sting
ready to fly up with dangerous effect
upon the slightes. provocation. Turn
up corner of the rug or tablespread,
and you discover flourishing colony OF
them; shake your shoes in the morning.
and out they flop; throw your oath
sponge into the water, and half dozen
of them dart out of its cool depths into
which they had wriggled for siesta;
in short, every article you touch must
be treated like dose Of medicine-"to
be well shaken before taken"
The average scorpion is mahogany
hued, and about two inches long, but L
have seen them as long as five Inches.
The small, yellowish variety are consid-
cred most dangerous, and their bite is
most apprebended at midday. In Du-
ranro hey are black and so alarmlngly
numerous-having been allowed 10
breed centuries in the deserted mines
that the government offers reward per
head Cor, rather, per taiD to whoever
will Kill them. Their sting is seldom
fatal, but is more or less severe Accord
ing TO the state of tie system. Victims
have been known TO remain for days in
convulsions, foaming at the mouth,
with stomach swelled as in dropsy;
while others do not suffer much more
than from bee sting. The common
remedies are brandy, taken in sufficient
quantities to stupefy the patient, am
monia, administered both externally
and internally, boiled silk and guaia-
cum. 1t is also of use to press large
key, or other tube, on the wound TO
force out part of the poison.
As most of my readers are aware, this
species Of insect-a genus OF Arachnlda,
of the order Pulmonaria-are distin-
guished from other spiders by having
the abdomen articulated, with Il sharp,
curved spur at the extremity, beneath
which are two pores from which the
venom flows, supplied by two poison
glands at the base of the segment. The
anterior pair of feet, or palpi, are modi-
fed into pincers or claws, like those of
the lobster, by which it seizes its prey,
while the other feet resemble those OF
ordinary spiders. Naturalists divide
the genus into sub-genera, according to
the number of their eyes, whether six,
eight or twelve. They eat the eggs OF
spiders and also feed on beetles and
aud other insects, piercing the prey
with their stingers again and again be-
fore beginning the meal. When alarmed
or irritated Il scorpion "shows fight"
running abou; and waving
his sting in all directions, for attack or
defence, evidently aware of its power.
The young scorpions are produced at
astonshingly frequent intervals, the
mother displaying far greater regard
for her offspring than her vicious nature
seems to Justify. During their brief in
fancy she carries them about clinging
in great numbers to her back, limbs and
tail, never leaving her retreat for a mo-
ment, unless, overburdened by their
weight, her hold relaXes from the wall
and down falls the whole happy family
in wad. The ungrareful children gem
orally reward ,he maternal devotion by
destroying the mother as soon as they
are old enough. tearing her piecemcal
with the greatest ferocity.
Betsy and amuse ourselves by study
ing their habits, and have become ex-
pert in catching them by the tail with
Iassos Of thread, afterward suspending
them IN bottles OF alcohol TO send TO mi
inclined friends. Happen
ing To- be out of alcohol one day, We put
a captured scorpion into an empty bot
tie. Remem bering it a week later, we
went 10 look, when 10 where one had
been were now filty-sever; but whether
it was only the mother and her children,
or if the original scorpion had arrived at
the dignity of great-grandparent in
that length of time. was food for con-
lecture. Happily this rapidity OF in
crease is offset by their bitter enmity
all others of their kind, and the
warfare they wage upon one
another thins their ranks more than any
other cause. Scorpions are said 10 har-
Dor an especial spite against brunettes
and to leave blonde people comparatively
unmoiested. The Indians eat them,
after pulling out the stiDg-a ''crunchy'
sort of moroccan, as delightful, no doubt,
TO them, as are snails, frogs, crabs and
similar delicacies TO American appe-
tites.
George-What's de mattah, Uncle
Ephrum?
unnla Dat ,nrle heen done