Nov. 1, 1869.] 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



245 



apertures are left to enable the owner to take a 

 little walk out on fine days when the weather is 

 particularly mild. I have known them to make 

 mistakes in returning home, so that one cell was 

 occupied by two Chelifers, more than once. In this 

 case both seemed equally angry, but there was no 

 space for a fair fight, and so they contented them- 

 selves by making each other uncomfortable, till they 

 got used to it. Each seemed to wonder what busi- 

 ness the other had there, but neither was disposed 

 to seek shelter anywhere else. 



Fig. 212. Chelifer Latreillei, x 15. 



I said above that Pseudoscorpions are most un- 

 amiable, though intensely interesting creatures. In 

 the presence of their enemies they are arrant 

 cowards, and will run away backwards with sur- 

 prising celerity, or feign death, as it may seem to 

 them most expedient. In the presence of one 

 another, if there is plenty of room, they are pugna- 

 tious to the last degree. Each displays his boldest 

 front and all his weapons, no gesture which may 

 add to the effect, such as clashing the 'nippers 

 together violently, advancing and then retreating, 

 being omitted. Their blind rage on these occasions 

 is funny to witness ; I have seen them (Chelifers) 

 pinching their own claws because they could not 

 get hold of their antagonists. In the presence of 

 their prey, however, their cruel ferocity comes out 

 most forcibly. If in good health and of consider- 

 able size, they will kill far more than they can eat. 

 Their proper food consists of Podura, especially 

 Lepidocyrti, I believe. Of these I have known a 

 single Chelifer Latreillei ',* when first put into a cell, 



* Chelifer Latreillei seems to be fond of Lepidiicyrtus curvi- 

 collis (see Science-Gossip, 186/, page 55, fig. 39), while 

 Obisium urthodactylum seems to be equally partial to the 

 White Podura {Templetonia nitida. S. G., 1367, page 57, 

 fig. 46). 



to kill all the inhabitants, numbering a dozen or so 

 in a few days, their mangled remains testifying to 

 the manner of their deaths, — vivisection in fact. 

 Some four or five were eaten, or rather sucked, and 

 each was carried about iu the mandibles of the 

 tyrant till it was nothing but a shell, just as a cat 

 carries about an unlucky mouse. Obisium being 

 smaller, has a less exacting appetite; but taking 

 this into consideration, its disposition is just as bad 

 as its cousin's. 



Fig. 213 



Parasite of Obisium. Ventral aspect after death, 

 x 100; A, end of rostrum. 



After such a bad character, the reader will be 

 glad to learn that a certain member of the order 

 {Obisium orthodacfylum) is tormented by curious 

 parasitic mites, which are, I believe, new to science.* 

 I give a representation of them (fig. 213) : they crawl 

 over the back and legs, clinging with great tenacity to 

 any part, and probably can pierce the host's skin for 

 nutriment. One is about the same size as a grain 

 of mallow pollen. The dorsal aspect is something 

 like that of a tortoise, there being a sort of 

 chitonous shield over the mite's back, establishing 

 a curious resemblance. It has eight legs, the two 

 anterior pairs being much longer than the rest, and 

 the mouth I suppose to be suctorial. I cannot see 

 any mandibles, but the rostrum, which terminates 

 in two setse (lancets ?), is prominent and apparently 

 formed for piercing. 



The other is considerably larger. Its general 

 appearance is much the same; but its legs are of 

 equal length, and there are other points of differ- 

 ence which the figures will explain sufficiently for 

 present purposes. 



But " Where are these Pseudoscorpions, &c, to 

 be found, and how shall we distinguish them?" does 

 some one ask. 



The order Pseudoscorpions is divided into two 

 genera, Chelifer and Obisium, of both of which 

 several species are known to be inhabitants of 

 Britain. 



Chelifers and Obisia are all furnished with long 

 lobster-like nippers and powerful mandibles or fal- 



* I have noticed two distinct species. 



