The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1894-08-31
SCORPIONS AND cENTIPEDES.
Their Stings Are Not So Dangerous as Is
Commonly Reported.

Their Stings Are Not So Dangerous as Is
Commonly Reported.
"No, don't believe that the sting Of
any scorpion would kill a human be-
ing, save, perhaps, under extraordinary
conditions. In southern latitudes
wounds of any kind are more dangerous
| than in cooler climates, and the setting
in of fever may produce fatal results"
The speaker was DR.. George Marx, of
Washington, who is recognized as the
| greatest authority on arachnids in this
country.
scorpions are tropical animals" he
added. They do not get very far
north. They live under the bark of
long-leaved pines in the northern part
of their range, and, inasmuch as trees
of that kind do not occur in this vicin-
ity, they find no suitable domicile here
abouts. Such pines grow in Baltimore
county, Nd, and SO a species of scor-
I pion exists there. 1t is yellow with
| brown stripes and measures about two
i inches in length.
THE biggest scorpions in the world
are those of India, which attain
length of six inches. In California
scorpions four and one-half inches long
are found. They are the largest that
occur in America. Between them and
the smallest species are many. The
sting of small one is about as severe
as that of wasp, and the effects of it
! soon pass.
''The scorpion carries its tail over it's
back and snaps it backwards for the
purpose of infiicting sting. 1t has
two poison glands side by side in the
last joint of it's tail. 1t is said that
scorpions will commit suicide by sting
ing themselves to death when they are
put into circle of burning charcoal. I
don't know whether this is true or not;
the question has not been cleared up.
scorpions live on beetle larvae and
slow running insects. They conceal
themselves under the bark of trees in
the day time, and pursue their prey at
night. The whip-tailed scorpions-so
called because of a peculiar appendage
of which the use is not known-are not
poisonous. For the purpose of defense
they squirt fine streams of fluid that
smells like vinegar. Doubtless, it is
offensive to some of their enemies"
Every now and then one reads in the
newspapers a frightful story about
centipede. According to these accounts
the animal is just bit more danger
GUS than rattlesnalke. Not only is it's
bite fatal, but it carries poison in the
claws with which it's numerous legs are
terminated. Crawling over a mans
bare flesh it burns like fire. To move
is DEATH for then the creature will dig
its envenomed feet into the victim, who
will presently be reduced to the condi-
tion of a loathsome and bloated corpse.
All of this is purest fable.
An expert in centipedes is attached
to the Smithsonian institution. He
knows all about the creatures, and he
says that the bite of one of these ami
mails is less poisoning than the sting of
the scorpion. That it could ever kill
anybody is most unlikely. The claws
are sharp and unpleasant to feel when
centipede walks over the bare skin,
but they have no venom.
There are two distinct types of cent?
pedes. One Of them may be termed
the true centipede type, with fiat
body and only one pair of legs on each
segment. The largest forms are all
poisonous. Whether the smaller ones
are so is undetermined. The jaws of
this kind of centipede are perforated
by channels which convey the poison
into the wound made by the bite. The
action is somewhat the same as in the
case of venomous serpent.
The other type of centipede is built
on the thousand-leg plan, and attains
length of ten inches. The biggest in
this part of the world will not exceed
five inches. 1t has four legs to each
segment, and sometimes as many as
siXty-fve segments. 1t is easy to count
uphow many legs that makes. Though
not as many as one thousand, they are
sufficient. This style of centipede is
never poisonous Centipedes feed on
rotten wood and other decaying vege-
table material. They live in the ground
and among rotten leaves and wood.
In some parts of the world centipedes
are regarded with superstitious venera-
ton. friend of the writer's once vis-
tied Buenos Ayres and engaged a room
at a boarding house. He found eight
large centipedes in his quarters before
he went to dinner. Having killed them
he informed the landlady of the circum-
stance. She expressed the utmost
grief, and declared that the destruction
Of the creatures would take away all
good luck from her establishment for
eight years to come-one year for each
centipede.
Centipedes, as well as great spiders,
are sometimes brought to this country
from the tropics with fruit. They ara
often found hidden in punches of ba-
nanas. Scorpions make the voyage in
the same way. naval officer told the
Star writer that in warm ATTITUDES big
scorpions are apt to get on board ship
and conceal themselves in shoes or other
garments. 1t is not pleasant to put
Dne's arm in the sleeve of coat and to
ind an unlooked-for scorpion there.
The arachnid, if fresh intruder, is
likely to be very much more poisonous,
and its bite correspondingly more se-
we're, than after it has been on the ves-
'el for while.-Chicago Journal.
Mating Cloth.
A new material for covering pillows
and cushions for boats and yachts, for
hammocl1s and rattan couches is a very
aexible mating cloth. 1t is fine and
.losely woven, and should be verv
durable. When soiled it can be brushed
and wiped with cloth dipped in salt
water, in the same way that mattings
are cleaned. 1t comes in half dozen
liffarant colO,.iDnc ba 81