508 R. T. LEWIS, NOTE ON SOLPUGA FSROX. 



thickness throughout, until at the ends they widen out and 

 terminate in two points resembling the inverted barbs of an 

 arrow-head. The large expanded bases of the chelicerae are 

 occupied by strong, striped, muscular fibres, which form a fine 

 object when viewed by polarised light. Though the double bite 

 inflicted would undoubtedly be severe, there is no evidence that 

 it is poisonous ; dissection and careful microscopic examination 

 fail to detect the presence of any poison gland or duct, or of any 

 perforation in any part of the chelicerae such as would be found 

 as in the case of spiders if poison were injected into the 

 wound at the moment of penetration. 



On the dorsal surface near the extremity of each chelicera 

 in the male there is a curious organ known as the flagellum^ 

 curving backwards, and ending in a spear-shaped point, the 

 function of which is problematical ; it is common to all the 

 male members of the first three sub-families of the Solpugidaey 

 but differs considerably in shape in different genera. 



A casual observer would suppose that a Solpuga had ten legs^ 

 of which the first and last pairs were longer and stronger than 

 the three pairs between. The first pair of these lateral appen- 

 dages are, however, the pedipalpi, consisting of six joints, the 

 first three of which are short, and the others of nearly equal 

 length, extending altogether over 1*5 inch. They are thickly 

 covered with hairs, many of which have bifid ends, as already 

 described; others rather thicker end in a rounded knob, these 

 are finely cross-striated, and contain what appears to be a nerve; 

 a third kind is simple and pointed ; and in addition to these are 

 a number of long silky hairs widely extended on either side with 

 a sweep of nearly two inches. The extremity of each pedipalj> 

 is slightly expanded and rounded, and contains a curious sense- 

 organ, which can be protruded at will, but when not in use is 

 concealed within a lip-like covering. The precise nature of this 

 is not known ; it is regarded by some as suctorial, and by others 

 it is thought to be an organ of smell ; but as it bears some re- 

 semblance to a retractile organ found on the extremity of the 

 palpus of a Tick, it is possibly of analogous function. 



The first pair of legs are six-jointed, but differ from the others 

 in being more slender, and without claws or divisions in the 

 tarsus ; they are rounded at the ends, and terminate with a close 

 tuft of short hairs, and are covered throughout their length with 



