ON PSEUDO-SCORPIONES. 'J 



Ohisium. — Eyes four ; cephalotborax not divided. 



Of the two species of Chelifer and Obisium to which I refer, ami 

 which I am unable to name, the Chelifer is by far the larger. The 

 structure of their feet enables both creatures to walk in an inverted 

 position on the under-surface of glass, but the Obisium performs 

 the feat best. I have often seen it thus walking, and have occa- 

 sionally witnessed the Chelifer making the attempt. 



For a long time I was under the impression that the Chelifer 

 did not possess eyes at all, but was gifted with more than ordinarily 

 acute hearing and touch, so as to compensate for this deficiency, and 

 it was only after I had mounted one of the creatures in Deane's 

 gelatine medium that I corrected myself on this point, and was 

 satisfied that it really does possess two ; so difficult is it to detect 

 these organs in the hving creature. Even in Obisium, where the 

 eyes are four, and are situated in pairs, one behind the other, at 

 the sides of the head, the observer is very liable to overlook 

 them. 



The falces in both genera consist of two powerful hooked mandibles, 

 which are the weapons with which the prey is killed. Between 

 them there may be noticed one or two comb-like structures whose 

 office it is to clean the hairs on the pincers after a meal. Their 

 exact form and the mode of their attachment, I have not been able 

 to ascertain with certainty, but I shall have to revert to this sub- 

 ject presently. The falces in Chelifer are not so conspicuous as in 

 Obisium, but they are used with great effect on the captured prey, 

 and the nippers of the former far exceed those of Obisium in size 

 and strength. Woe betide the luckless insect that invades the 

 seclusion of the Chelifer, and falls into the grasp of those cruel, 

 scorpion-like claws. 



Immediately on being dropped into a cell, the newly captured 

 Chelifer will search every part of it, his nippers extended in front 

 of him, and having ascertained that there are no means of exit, and 

 that there are no intruders, if there be a snug little corner any- 

 where he will take possession of it. There he sits for hours, occa- 

 sionally lubricating (or perhaps cleansing) the ends of his pincers 

 by passing them through the falces, but in no other respect betray- 

 ing any sign of life. Should a fewPodur^e meanwhile be introduced 

 into the cell, he will show he is aware of the fact by reaching out at 

 them whenever they pass near his sanctum. If hungry, he will 

 follow slowly, and poke his nippers in all directions, in the hope of a 



