The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-08-24
SUICIDE OF SCORPIONS.
UnmistakabIe Evidence That the
Creature Does Sting Itself to
Death When COrnered

when surrounded by fire. Naturally
enough, this has been regarded as a
poetic fiction; and a distinguished
writer has gone so far as to say that the
popular idea regarding scorpionic
suicide is delusion based on an impos-
sibility." The impossibility to which
this writer refers is this: The sting of
the scorpion is in its tail, and the ter
mination of the tail is recurved, so that
it would really be impossible for the
scorpion to sting itself on the under
part of its body. But it is not impos-
sible for the sting to penetrate the back
or even the head; and there is positive
evidence that in certain circumstances
the scorpion does commit suicide in
that way. This creature seems to be
unable to endure light; and when it is
exposed to light it seems to become so
desperate as to end its torture with it's
own sting. w. G. Biddie tells this in
cident, which he himself observed in
Madras, and which he communicated
toNature;
One morning a servant brought TO
me large specimen of scorpion, which,
having staid out too long in its noe
turnal rambles, had apparently got be-
wildered at daybreak and been unable
to find its way home. To keep it safe,
the creature was at once put into a
glazed chronological case. Having a
few leisure minutes in the course of the
I 4 l..
my prisoner was getting on. and to
have a better view of il the case was
placed in a window in the rays of the
hot sun. The light and heat seemed to
irritate it very much, and this recalled
to my mind Il story which | had read
somewhere that a scorpion, on being
surrounded with fire, had committed
suicide. | hesitated about submitting
my pet to such a terrible ordeal; but,
taking a common botanical lens, | TO-
cused the rays of the sun on its back
The moment this was done it began to
run hurriedly about the case, kissing
and splitting in very fierce way. This
experiment was repeated some four or
five times with like results, but on try
ing it once again the scorpion turned
its tail and plunged the singer quick
as lightning into its own back. The
infliction of the wound was followed by
a sudden escape of fluid. and friend
standing by me called out: See. it has
stung itself; it is dead and sure
enough, in less than half minute life
was quite extinct. | have written this
brief note to show () that animals may
commit suicide; GU that the poison of
certain animals may be destructive to
themselves"
An eminent writer, DR.. Allen Thomp-
son, f. Il. S., has contributed the fol-
lowing narrative of facts observed by
b. +. Hutchinson, while living in the
summer at the baths of Sulla. in Italy.
Mr.. Hutchinson and his family were
very much annoyed by the frequent in
trusion of small black scorpions in the
house, which secreted themselves
among the bedclothes, in shoes, and in
other articles of dress. He says:
ut thus became necessary to be con-
stantly on the watch for these trouble
some creatures, and to take means for
their removal and destruction. Having
been informed by the natives of the
place that the scorpion would destroy
itself if exposed to a sudden light. my
informant and her friends soon became
adopts in catching the scorpions and
disposing of them in the manner sug-
gested. This consisted in combining
the animal under an inverted drinking
glass or tumbler, below which a card
was inserted when the capture was
made, and then, waiting till dark, sud
denly bringing the light of a candle
near to the glass in which the animal
was confined.
mo sooner was this done than the
scorpion invariably showed signs of
great excitement, running round and
round the interior of the tumbler with
reckless velocity for a number of
times. This state having lasted for
minute or more, the animal became
quiet, and, turning its tail on the hinder
part of its body over its back. brought
it's recurved sting down upon the mid
Ole of the head, and, piercing it fore
IDLY, in a few seconds became quite
motionless, and, in fact, quite dead
This observation was repeated very
frequently; in truth, it was adopted as
the best plan of getting rid of the ami
mails. The young people were in the
habit of handling the scorpions with
-isppunity Immediately after they were
so killed, and of preserving many of
them as curiosities."
1t would be difficult to prove that
suicide is an evidence of intelligence;
and it is certainly different from any
other act that is prompted by instinct,
for instinct always tends to the pres
eryation of life in the individual and
also in the species, never to its destruc-
ton. Unless, therefore, there were
some reason to believe that light af-
fects the physical organization of the
scorpion in such a way as to be fatally
injurious alike to the individual and to
the species, the extra ordinary fact al
legged in these anecdotes is quite mex
plicable. There is reGson, then. to re-
ceiye these stories will some hesitation,
but they cannot be summary rejected.
st. Louis Republic.