Some of this deadly kind (the same, tho’ not so large with _That_ in the _East-Indies_, of which _Swammerdam_ (44) has given a very accurate Description and Figure) S^r _Redi_ had sent him from _Tunis_ (45); and it being _November_, irritated them to _Sting_ Pigeons, Pullets, _&c._ without any bad Effect at all of their _Poison_; but upon the approaching Spring, One of them which had been kept all the Winter, nay, eight Months, without any Food, and the Wound of whose Sting before was harmless, stung to Death two Pigeons successively; but a Third and Fourth wounded in like manner, suffered no Hurt. Yet having let the _Scorpion_ rest all Night, He killed another Pigeon the next Morning.
At the _Point_ of the _Sting_ he very often could discern a small drop of white _Liquor_, which when the Wound was made, entered into the Flesh.
_As_ this _Liquid Venom_ is either not separated from the Blood into the Cavity of the Sting, during the cold of Winter, or at least the Scorpion wants Strength at that Time to throw it out with Force and Energy. _So_ even in the hot Months, after it is exhausted by two or three _Attacks_, the _Sting_ is no longer hurtful, till the Expence of this _Juice_ is recruited by Time.
’Tis very remarkable concerning this _Insect_, what an ingenious Gentleman who lived several Years in _Barbary_ told Me, he had many times tried; That if it be surrounded with a Circle of _Burning Coals_, It does, upon the Sense of the _Heat_, turn it self violently every way to make an Escape; but finding it impossible, and the _Pain_ from the Fire increasing, it strikes it self Twice or Thrice with the _Sting_ on the _Back_, and immediately dies of the Wounds.
Others may make what Reflections They please on this _Self-Murder_, it is to Me beyond all Dispute sufficient to decide the _Controversie_ between Writers, whether Poisonous Animals of the same _Species_ can kill each other. Which is not only confirmed by what we before observed of the _Spider_, but is likewise true of _Vipers_; for D^r. _Herman_ bringing from the _Indies_ Three of the _Cobras de Capelo_ all in one Glass, Two of them were killed in the Voyage by _Fighting_.
As the _Viperine Venom_ is the _Quintessence_ and most active Part of those _Animal Juices_ with which the Viper is nourished, so is also _That_ of the Scorpion; for this Insect lives chiefly upon _Locusts_, _&c._ and the same Person from _Barbary_ inform’d Me, That seeing oftentimes _Locusts_ sticking up in the Ground as if they were _Set_ there, by looking he found that some Part of them was always eat away, and that these Places were the _Holes_ of Scorpions, who had dragg’d their Prey thither, and fed on it as they had Occasion.