Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-07-27
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SCORPIONS AND cENTlPEDs.
Their stings Are Not So Dangerous as Ia
Commonly Reported.

Their stings Are Not So Dangerous as Ia
Commonly Reported.
"No, don't believe that the sting of
hny scorpion would kill human being.
save perhaps under extraordinary CON
fitions. In southern latitudes wounds
cf any kind are more dangerous than in
cooler climates, and the setting in of
fever may produce fatal results, I" said
DIR. 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
leafed pines in the northern part OF
their range, and inasmuch as trees Of
hat kind do not occur in this vicinity
they find no suitable domicile here
abouts Such pines grow in Baltimore
county, Md, and so a species of scor-
pion exists there. 1t is yellow, with
brown stripes, and measures about 2
inches in length.
1.-THE biggest scorpions of the world
are those of India, which attain length
of inches. In California scorpions Az
inches long are found. They are the lar
gest that occur in America. Between
tbem and the smallest species are many.
The sting of a small one is about as Sc
we're as that of a wasp, and the effects of
it soon pass.
"The scorpion carries its tail over its
back and snaps it backward for the pur.
pose of inflicting a sting. 1t has two
poison glands side by side in the last
ioint of its tail. 1t is said that scor-
pions will commit suicide by stinging
themselves to death when they are put
into circle of burning charcoal 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 daytime ard pursue their prey at
night The whip tailed scorpions-so
called because Of 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 often
sive to some of their enemies -
Every now and then one reads in the
newspapers u frightful story about a
centiped. According to these accounts,
the animal is just bit more dangerous
than rattlesnake Not only is it's bite
fatal, but it carries poison in the little
claws with which its 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 |
ton of loathsome and bloated corpse.
All of this is purest fable.
An expert in centipeds is attached to
the Smithsonian institution. He knows
all about the creatures, and he says
that the bite of one of these animals !
is less poisonous than the sting Of the
scorpion. That it could ever kill any.
body is most unlikely. The claws are
sharp and unpleasant to the feel when a
centiped walks over the bare skin, but |
they have no venom.
There are two distinct types of cent?
peds. One of them may be termed the
true centiped type, with fiat body
and only one pair of legs On each seq
ment The largest forms are all poison.
Gus. Whether the smaller ones are so is
undetermined. The jaws of this kind OF
centiped are perforated by channels,
which convey the poison into the wound
made by the bite. The action is some
what the same as in the case of
yenomous serpent
The other type of centiped is built Cd
the thousand leg plan and attains
length of 10 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 So segments
1t is easy to count up how many legs that
makes. Though not as many as 200,
they are sufficient. This style of cent?
ned is never poisonous. Centipeds feed
on rotten wood and other decaying vege-
table material. They live in the ground
and among rotten leaves and wood
Washington Star.