ON PSEUDO-SCORPIONES. 11 



relates to the manner in which its young are produced. In the 

 months of June and July, I noticed that several of the most healthy 

 specimens were disfigured by the appearance of a light yellow wart 

 or protuberance (just like a bud) under the abdomen, and close to the 

 junction of the fourth pair of legs with the body. This increased 

 in size, and in about a fortnight from its first appearance, during 

 which time it had spread out beyond the diameter of the Chelifer's 

 abdomen, and seriously incommoded the movements of the creature, 

 it dropped off, and I then could distinguish in the irregularities of 

 its surface the rudimentary forms of about a dozen young Chelifers, 

 which were contained in it. I failed to trace the perfect develope- 

 ment of the yoimg, though I tried six or seven times. Twice I 

 had great hopes of success ; but in one of these instances, an 

 adult Chelifer was discovered making his breakfast off the bunch 

 of young ones, and in the other, a detachment of cheese-mites, 

 which had, unknown to me, taken possession of the cell containing 

 the interesting object, plied their mandibles with great effect, though 

 the result was attained more slowly than in the former case. 



By the way, these little Acari will take refuge inmost out-of-the- 

 way places, and remain there without food (provided they are not 

 dried up) for a very long time — months even — but immediately any- 

 thing eatable presents itself, they come out of their hiding places, a 

 veritable horde of assassins. Were our unaided vision microscopic, 

 probably we should often find, when and where we least expect to 

 do so, a concealed family of these Acari waiting for a turn in their 

 fortunes, which they know too well how to avail themselves of when it 

 occurs. That these were cheese -mites, I am quite certain, for I 

 traced whence they all came, and have had plenty of experience that 

 cheese-mites will eat other substances besides cheese ; they are 

 even capable of attacking other Acari. But I return to my subject, 

 leaving this one to a future opportunity. 



My other failures in breeding Chelifers arose from my not having 

 been successful in perfectly imitating their natural condition ; but 

 I intend pursuing the enquiry when the circumstances are favour- 

 able. 



The habits of Obisium may be said not to differ from those of 

 the Chelifei", after making allowances for its not being so well de- 

 fended by a hard shell and formidable weapons as that creature is. 

 Its weakness in these respects, and in point of size, leads to a dis- 

 play of greater caution and somewhat less pugnacity than is 



