Scorpions

Scorpions, or SCORPIONIDAE, a family of air-breathing Arachnida. It is characterised by the hinder part of the abdomen being constricted into a cylindrical-jointed process (or metasoma), which is armed with a hooked claw and poison gland; by this it is able to inflict a severe sting. The Scorpions strike forward over their bead, and in a badly-directed blow the sting may strike some part of the body; this often occurs when the animal is dazed by smoke or fire, and thus may have arisen the story about scorpions stinging themselves to death when surrounded by a zone of fire. The scorpions have eight long-jointed-legs, and four pincer-like claws; the anterior pair of these is small, and is known as the pair of "chelicerae;" the two hinder pincers are large and strong. The animals breathe by four pairs of lung-sacs, which open to the exterior on the under-side of the abdomen, and four pairs of "stigmata." The Scorpions live in tropical regions under stones and fallen trees; they may be-nearly a foot in length. The oldest Scorpions occur in the Silurian rocks, such as Palaeophonus. Eoscorpius is a well-known Carboniferous genus; none occur in the Jurassic rocks.