And indeed the Quantity of _Liquor_ emitted by our common Spiders when they kill their Prey, is visibly so Great, and the wounding _Weapons_ so Minute, that they could contain but a very inconsiderable Portion thereof, if it were to be discharged that Way.
To this purpose, I remember Mr. _Boyle_ somewhere tells a Story of a Person blinded by a Spider dropping its Venom into his Eye, which tho’ it can hardly find Credit with some, is however confirmed by what _Piso_ relates of his _Nhamdu_, _Viz._ That in catching it great heed is to be taken, lest its Poison fall into the _Eye_, This causing a total Loss of the _Sight_.
What Mr. _Leewenhoek_ observes of the Enmity these Creatures bear to one another I have often seen; for if Four, Five, or more be put together into a Glass, they immediately fall to _Fighting_ with all the Fury imaginable; _Limbs_ struck off are usually the _Præludes_ to the terrible Slaughter, which continues till all are killed, the _Surviving Conqueror_ himself most commonly Dying of his Wounds.
The _Weapons_ of Mischief in the _Scolopendra_ are much the same with Those of the Spider, only larger. One of these Creatures I had brought to Me alive out of a Ship which came from the _East-Indies_, where _Bontius_ (41) says, Their Bite is so painful, that it makes People almost mad; but it died before I had an opportunity of making Trial of its Poison; however, I very diligently looked upon the Claws (42), and found them to have no more _Cavity_ than is necessary for the Insertion of their Muscles, nor any _Exit_ or Out-let towards their _Apex_; these therefore serve only to _pierce_ the Flesh, and the Venom is infused from a _Proboscis_ out of the Mouth; tho’ _This_ I could not very well discern, because the Parts had been kept too long dry before I examined Them.
The Case is much the same with _Stinging_ Animals; of These the _Scorpion_ is the Chief, whose _Virus_ in different Countries is more or less dangerous, according as ’tis exalted by various Degrees of _Heat_; thus in _Africa_ particularly its Effects are so dreadful, that as _Joann. Leo_ (43) tells Us, the Town of _Pescara_ there is in a manner left desolate by the Inhabitants in the Summer Time, by Reason of the great Abundance of these Creatures, certain Death following their _Sting_.
