Page:Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal Vol 1.djvu/616

558 I therefore came to the conclusion, that, as the larger animals, which murht reasonably be supposed to be the oldest, had fewer teeth on the pecten than the smaller ones, these teeth do not increase in number as the animal advances in ase from infancy to maturity, and consequently that the difference in the number, must either indicate distinct species, or that the pecten cannot be regarded as affording any distinguishing mark of species. But there again a question occurs, which I confess myself unable to answer, viz. how, if only one species, to account for the difference in the number of teeth ? 1 Moreover, having procured a scorpion with several young ones clinging about it, I found that the number of teeth in both parent and offspring were exactly the same, the first having 15-15 teeth and being 3| ins. in length, and the last having 15-15 teeth, and being only J ins. iu length. - This, I think, goes far to prove those above described to be of distinct species. The stories of these animals committing suicide, when surrounded by fire, are I believe now looked upon by naturalists as mere idle tales, unworthy of credit. Arguing one day upon this subject and not being able to convince my adversary, I procured two scorpions, one of each of the species mentioned above, for the pur- pose of testing the truth of his statement, and found the result to be as I had anticipated. The poor animals after twice or thrice running over the glowing charcoal with which they were encompassed, and being as often put back again, were in a minute or two completely roasted by the heat, and expired without making the least attempt to sting themselves. The animal ; when in pain, lashes its tail about very quickly, which might pos- sibly have given rise to the opinion, that it was stinging itself. I consider it as next to impossible for them to commit suicide, as independent of the hardness of their covering, it is a known fact, that the scorpion when endea- vouring to sting strikes backwards with much force, whereas in stinging itself it must push forwards, which I think it unable to do : but even if it could, I should question its ability to pierce the armour with which nature has clothed it. It has been said that scorpions are so fierce and voracious, that when confined together they invariably fight until but one remains, which devours the carcases of his fallen enemies. This I can affirm is not always the case, as 8 or 10 of both kinds, which I confined in a large glass-jar, lived very peaceably for 4 or 5 days, although deprived of food ; on putting in some beetles however they were speedily devoured. They appear to be very tenacious of life, as three, which I put into a jar of water, lived for four days.

If kept together for any length of time without food, it is more than probable that they would devour each other ; but it is scarcely fair to stamp the poor scorpion as a fierce assassin, merely because it does that which, in like cases, every animal, from the Lord of the creation downwards, would be tempted to do, rather than perish of hunger.

1 had intended noticing two species of land shells, which I found at Mirzapur ; but having much extended the present communication, I shall make them the subject of my next.

Mirsaptir, Oct. 26, 1832.