SC O LO PE N D R A M O R S ITA NS ?
P la te 50.
C l a s s . A m e t a b o l a , i e a c / i . Myriapocla, X a #m /Z e . A p te ra p . lijm ipw « -
F a m il y . S c o l o p e s d r id æ .
G e n u s . S c o l o i - e n d r a , L in næ u s.
Cfi. S p . S c. p ed ib u s u trin q u e 2 1 , posterioribus spinosis. L o n g . Corp. 6 unc.
S c . with tw en ty -o n e feet o n e a ch side, th e p oste rior p a ir spined. Len g th o f th e b ody
6 inches.
S y n . Sco lo p en d ra morsitans, D e Geer In s . vol. 7 . t . 4 3 . f g . 1. (in In d iû ). Lvnn.? S y s t.
N a t. 2 . 1063. ( “ H ab . in In d iis”). F a b r ic iu s E n t . S y s t . 2 . p . 3 9 0 . ( “ H ab . in
In d ia o r ie n ta li.”)
Travellers agree that the temperate parts o f Asia would be a terrestrial paradise,
were it not for the multitude o f troublesome insects and reptiles with which th ey are infested.
In a well cultivated country like China, many o f these creatures can scarcely
find shelter ; but such as harbour in the walls or furniture o f human dwelling s are as
abundant in that, as any other country ly in g within or near the tropics. Amongst the
latter, none produce more terrible effects than the Centipede, whose poison is as venomous
as that o f the scorpion, which is also a native o f China.
Sir G. Staunton mentions a remarkable circumstance that occurred during the embassy
to China to whicli he was attached. The ambassador and his suite were accommodated
in a temple near the suburbs o f Ton g-choo-foo. “ In some o f the apartments
the priests had suffered scorpions and scolopendras to harbour through neglect. These
noisome creatures were known only by description to some o f the gentlemen in the
embassy, who had not visited the southern parts o f Europe : the sight o f such, for the
first time, excited a degree o f horror in their minds ; and it seemed to them to be a
sufficient objection to the country, that it produced these animals.” Sir George however
adds, that no accident happened in that instance.— Th e species o f Scolopendra he alludes
to, is probably M o rsitan s, which is common in many parts o f the world, but is particularly
found o f a frightful size, and in vast abundance, in the two Indies.
Many authors have described this creature. In the voluminous works o f Seba we
find several specimens o f it from different countries, differing materially in size, and some
trifling particulars. The largest o f these ex ceed our figure in magnitude, being near
fourteen inches in length : this he calls Millepeda major ex nova Hispania. His figure
o f Millepeda A fric a n a is about the size o f our Ch inese specimen. He has also a third