OF WASHINGTON. 255 



My friend sent the specimen in alcohol (in very good condi 

 tion), and it is therefore impossible forme to continue observa 

 tions upon this subject, but I hope, however, to receive some 

 live ones for further study. 



Mr. Mann considered it very doubtful if records based on 

 captive specimens reared in confinement would hold in nature 

 the development would generally be more or less retarded in 

 the case of the confined specimen. 



Dr. Marx agreed to this, and stated in reply to a question 

 by Mr. Test that the roaches fed to the Thelyphonus at the 

 outset were young ones, larger roaches being given it as it 

 increased in size. He judged that the Thelyphonus was now 

 about one-fourth grown and that it would reach full develop 

 ment in another year moulting probably once more. In reply 

 to a question by Mr. Mann, Dr. Marx stated that Arachnids 

 have no definite number of moultings, but that the skin is shed 

 a variable number of times, and whenever the growth of the 

 animal makes it necessary. 



Mr. Ashmead said that he was familiar with this Arachnid 

 in Florida, and stated that it burrows in sand. 



Mr. Schwarz said that they occurred usually in nearly dry 

 .sand and always under the protection of logs, etc., and that 

 they never, either by day or night, are seen away from their 

 burrows. 



Mr. Howard introduced the subject of the poisonous char 

 acter of Thelyphonus, and stated that a case of fatal result from 

 its bite was vouched for by a professional naturalist, Mr. Dunn, 

 a man whose testimony should have weight. He said, how 

 ever, that he and others had handled living specimens without 

 injury. 



Both Mr. Ashmead and Mr. Banks referred to the belief 

 commonly held in Florida that this insect is extremely poison 

 ous, the former stating, however, that he had handled them 

 frequently without experiencing any ill effect, and that he 

 believed them to be harmless. 



Mr. Schwarz stated that they do not occur in south Florida, 

 where they are replaced by a species of Phrynus {Ph. mar 

 ginemaculatus C. Koch), a most agile animal, which it is almost 

 impossible to capture on account of its ability to always keep 



