94 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



The femur (except in Legs I. and II. of Cheiridiuni) is 

 always subdivided, either into two distinct pieces, or else 

 being provided with a small piece, the trochantin, at its 

 basal end. The tarsus also is subject to variation in different 

 genera, and may be of one or of two pieces. The tarsus is 

 terminated by two distinct claws, between and hindwards 

 of which is a transparent organ of adhesion, the arolium ; 

 under the microscope I have watched Chernes dubius walking 

 along the cover-slide applying these tiny organs at each 

 step to the glass, and proving to me their usefulness in the 

 case of creatures that spend a great part of their time in 

 prowling about in an inverted position on the under surface 

 of stones and other material. 



HAUNTS. 



False-scorpions live generally in obscure places, under 

 stones or in the crevices of rocks, beneath the bark of trees, 

 among dead leaves and moss in woodlands, under inverted 

 flower-pots in conservatories, among the refuse of stables 

 and mills, and even in the furniture of houses, and in old 

 books. Owing to their skulking habits they easily escape 

 notice even where they are most abundant, but, when once 

 seen, they demand attention by their striking aspect and by 

 their curious habit of running backwards when disturbed. 



FOOD. 



So far as I have observed, False-scorpions live entirely 

 on animal food. Among the various articles of diet which 

 I have found them consuming are tiny worms, mites, 

 molluscan eggs, springtails, a larval centipede, and a beetle. 

 Although I was convinced that False-scorpions caught their 

 prey with their large nippers, and was besides assured by 

 Mr. Wallis Kew that he had repeatedly witnessed them 

 do so, I had to wait a long time before I actually saw 

 one seize its prey. Repeatedly in the fields I had come on 

 various species in the act of sucking their prey, and I had 

 always found that the False-scorpion was holding its victim 

 in its chelicerse, and I occasionally watched a False-scorpion 

 move off, still carrying its prey in its chelicerae. But in 



