THE assertion that scorpions are occasionally luminous—if indeed it has ever been seriously made—does not appear to have received confirmation. Of fire, indeed, these creatures have a horror, but that probably relates to its property—heat—to which they are extremely sensitive. The popular belief is, that, if surrounded by fire, a scorpion will deliberately sting itself to death. Of the fact, or, at least, of the fact of the self-inflicted sting, there can be little doubt, but in regard to the motive there is room for difference of opinion. Mr. Pocock says, truly enough, that it is _à priori_ improbable that the scorpion has any intention of killing itself.[154] But what, then, is its intention in stinging itself, supposing that it deliberately does so? Nor must it be forgotten that the idea of death—of destruction—must be indissolubly associated in the scorpion’s mind with the use of its sting, since it uses it with that purpose only, and that is the result which constantly attends its use. Is it, then, really so improbable that it stings itself with the same intention as that with which it stings other creatures?—or, rather, with what other possible intention can it do so, assuming the act to be a voluntary one? Nor would it be necessary to prove the intention that the sting, thus delivered, should be fatal in its effects, and, in regard to this, Mr. Bourne has satisfied himself by experiments with some Indian scorpions that a self-inflicted wound, or even wounds inflicted by individuals of the same species on one another, have no effect. On the other hand, he found that a moderately high temperature was fatal to his scorpions, and so concludes that this has been the real cause of death in all such cases as we are here considering.[154]