ON rSEUDO-SCoiinoNES. 13 



"because it is by no means clear Avliicli genus is meant. We are 

 told there, however, that Pseudo- Scorpions breathe by means of 

 tracheaj. These are seen in Ohisium without difficulty, if the 

 medium in which the creature is immersed be glycerine. 



In Wood's " Natural History," a few lines are devoted to Pseudo- 

 Scorpions. He says, vol. III., page 680 : — "On the same illustra- 

 tion with the Galeodes, is seen a magnified representation of the 

 curious Chelifer, a little arachnoid, very much resembling a tiny 

 scorpion without a tail. The body is flattened, and the palpi are 

 much elongated, and furnished with a regidar claw at the end, like 

 that of a true scorpion. The Chelifer is an active little being, run- 

 ning with much speed, and directing its course backward, for- 

 ward, or sidewise, with equal ease. It lives in dark places in 

 houses, between books in libraries, and similar localities, preferring 

 those, however, that are rather damp. It does no harm, however, 

 to the books, but rather confers a favour on their owners, feed- 

 ing on wood lice, mites, and other beings that work sad mischief 

 in a library. Its general colour is a brownish red, and it is remark- 

 able that the palpi are twice as long as the whole body. This, as 

 well as an allied genus called Obisium, is found in England. The 

 two genera can be easily distinguished by the cephalothorax ; that 

 of Chelifer being parted by a cross groove, and that of Obisium 

 being entire." 



In Mrs. Lane Clarke's book — " Objects for the Microscope"* — 

 Chelifer is treated of in the chapter on Parasites, but her remarks 

 apply to some species that attacks flies — probably the creature 

 alluded to and figured by Mr. Bailey in " Science Gossip," vol. I., 

 page 227, and which was afterwards named as Chelifer Cancroides 

 (page 228). 



Within the last fortnight, I found under an earthenware pan a 

 creature which at first I took to be an Obisimn of unusual size. It 

 had a similar elongated body, and very large falces, but further 

 examination showed that it possessed two conspicuous eyes and 

 the nippers of a Chelifer, and its cephalothorax was divided by a 

 cross groove, like a Chelifer ; consequently it must be regarded as 

 such, and not an Obisium. It difiered considerably, however, from 

 the Chelifers from Tlieale, being much longer in the body, and the 

 curious compound bristles which that species possesses are here 



* A descriptive catalogue of the most Instructive and Beautiful objects for the 

 Microscope, by L. Lane Clarke. Routledge and Co., London. 



