Morning journal and courier., 1890-04-29
SCORPIONS AND CENTIPEDES. The Results of Some Minute Observa. tlons of the North American Varie-

ties.
 From the St. Louis Republic.l
 The scorpion of our Southern states is seldom more than three or four inches in length and of peculiar livid yellowish col- or, with dark shade on each side of the back. Two round exceedingly bright little eyes are situated on top of the front part of the head. From each side of the front of the head extends jointed leg or arm, termi- hating in pair of pincers like that of the crawfish or lobster. The body is further provided with four pairs of painted legs. The tail is considerably longer than the body, and is composed of six sections or joints, on the last of which is fixed the sharp, hollow sting. Two little sacks or bags in the last section furnish venom to tho sting. The sting is bulbous at its attachment, but quickly contracts into slightly curved, hard black point, perhaps an eighth of an inch in length.
 The sting of the scorpion is very painful, but not necessarily fatal to mankind. I once saw bare footed native that had been stung on the instep; the young man com- plained of the pain. and the member in 8 couple of hours became swollen, and there were symptoms of fever in the system. A liberal dose of spirits given at intervals with 6u AppilchtlOu ol hAAOAAu, SAu sho WouhI ed member being wrapped in wet cloths, seemed shortly to subdue the effects of the poison. A lump remained where the sting was for two or three days, and there was a small sloughing sore, which soon recovered, however, after being treated with carbolio ointment.
 I tried some experiments with the venom on small animals. Mice died in two or three hours after being stung. A dog seemed | dietraaaad dnriDU fha dav and in- clined to be very restless and feverish, but finally apparently recovered without being treated. Horses and cattle we were told were frequently stung without fatal effect. but there remained for while tumor which discharged pus. The venom seemed to have fatal effect on any kind of an in- sect in short time. If two scorpions were irritated and placed together they attempted managed to do with fatal effect.
 The dry, rocky, barren regions of the Boss ton mountains and other spurs of the south- ern part of the Ozarks seem to bs the natu- ral home of the scorpion. They are invaria- | bly, found among the rocks on the mountain side. Except during very warm day they seldom venture forth from their retreats, and l to find them one has to turn over the fla: l stones under which they lie, always with their tails curled toward their side; and l noted that it was nearly on the right side oi ! the animal. Even after the cover of it's re- l treat is taken away the creature will lie per- fectly still until further disturbed, when il immediately erects it's tail over its back and endeavors to scamper of with quick, skip ping sort of movement. While collecting used couple of sticks to pick them ant drop them In @ can or bottle of alcohol ! The creatures would always make frantic eff ! forts to pierce the sticks with their sting
 This, however. they seemed unable to do We placed a number of them in a tin box | with some leaves, where they remained fo
 If one was left in an empty box withou
 being disturbed 1t soon began to walk abou ! slowly with It's arms extended in front; tn
 little pincers opening snd shutting as thougl
 it used them as feelers to examine objects During these quiet movements its tail wa
 extended backward, but on the least alarn 1t assumed hostile attitude with the stin!
 erected over the back. In captivity w failed to observe them in the act of eatinI
 anything, although we repeatedly placed be
 fore them flies and other insects in order t
 ascertain whether they used their pinoers il
 capturing their prey. Ants, however, afte
 being placed in this box disappeared in
 manner we could not account for unless the 1 were devoured.
 They are very susceptible to cold and sesl to get under anything warm. Once "
 found a scorpion under our coat where W
 had laid it down on some rocks one COG
 morning while we were gathering some spec
 imsns of mineral. Natives in the noun
 tsins always shake their shoes we'll befor
 putting them on if they are camped near tn
 rocks. One can readily believe that 1t woul
 hardly bs pleasant on pulling on one's boo
 to find a scorpion or centipede in the bottom Immediate action is the rule in all cases. au
 any explanation occurs after the noxiou
 creature Is gotten rid of. I heard stor
 told that during protraoted meeting in 1 school house on the mountain side when th
 house was filled with people of both sexes, worthy member 0k we'll established reput.
 ton for sobriety and quiet demssnor, sut
 denly, during the opening service, astonishe his neighbors by leaping from his seat wit l loud exclamations and with frenzied hast I divest himself of his pantaloons. Whe
 calmnees, after little time, had been pa tially restored, it was found that scorpic : had somehow made its way up the inside 0 his clothes, consisting of pants and shir T and had resented being sat upon.
 We were much interested to find in o = collection of scorpions that they were infes o ed with very peculiar parasite, little b' # near the color of the scorpions armor al