316 ARACHN1DES. 



It is supposed that the ancients designated these animals by the 

 names of Phalangiwn, Solifuga Tetragnatka, 8?c. M. Poe dis- 

 covered a species in the environs of Havanna, but the others are pecu- 

 lar to the hot and sandy countries of the eastern continent (a). They 

 run with great celerity, erect their head when surprised, and show 

 signs of resistance ; they are considered venemous *. 



CHELIFER, Geoff. OBISIUM., lllig. 



The palpi elongated, in the form of an arm, with a hand terminated 

 by a didactyle forceps; all the legs equal, terminated by two hooks ; 

 the eyes placed on the sides of the thorax. 



These animals resemble small Scorpions destitute of a tail. Their 

 body is flattened, and the thorax nearly square, with one or two eyes 

 on each side. 



They run swiftly, and frequently retrograde or move sideways 

 like Crabs. Rcesel saw one female lay her eggs and collect them 

 into a heap. Hermann, Sen., says that she carries them under her 

 abdomen, united in a pellet. He is even of the opinion that these 

 Arachnides can spin. 



Hermann, Jun. Mem. Apter. divides this genus into two sec- 

 tions. 



In some Ckclifer, Leach the first segment of the trunk or 

 thorax is divided by an impressed transverse line ; the tarsi consist of 

 a single joint; there is a kind of stylet at the extremity of the 

 movcable finger of the chelicerse, and the hairs of the body are 

 shaped like a spatula. 



Ch. cancroides ; Phalangium cancroides, L. ; Scorpio can- 

 cr aides, Fab.; Roes., Insect. Ill, Supp. LXIV, vulgo Book-Scor- 

 pion. Found in herbaria, old books, &c,, where it feeds on the 

 small insects that destroy them. 



Ch. cimicoides ; Scorpio cimicoides, Fab.; Herm., Mem. 

 Apter., VII, 9. Inhabits under bark of trees, stones, &c. 

 In others Obisium, Leach the thorax is entire, the chelicerse 

 are destitute of a stylet, and the hairs on the body are setaceous f- 

 A more important character however is found in the number of 

 eyes. In Obisium it is four, and but two in Chelifer properly so 

 called J. 



* Svlpuga fatalis, Fab.; Herbst., Monog., Solp. I, i, Bengal; S. chelicornis, 

 Fab., Herbst. Ib. II, 1; Phalangium araneoides, Pall., Spicil. Zool., fascic. IX, iii, 

 7, 8, 9. See also the Monog. of this genus by Herbst., and the Voy. of Pallas and 

 Olivier. 



f Herm., Mem. Apter., V, 6 ; VI, 14. 



J See Leach, Monog. of the Scorpions, Zool. Miscell. Ill, tub. 141, 142; and a 

 memoir on the Insects found in copal by M. Dalman, where he describes and figures 

 a species under the name of eucarpus, and mentions several others. 



(j^ (a} Our author does not seem aware of the fact that two species of this genus 

 havebeen discoveredby Mr. Say near the Rocky Mountains rthey are, 1 . Gal. pallipes' 

 Say. Hairy ; chelicerse horizontal ; fingers arcuated ; abdomen sub-depressed, 

 livid. 2. Gal subulata, Id. Hairy ; chelicerse horizonal ; thumb nearly rectilinear and 

 destitute of teeth ; resembles the pallipes in form, size and colour, but the superior 

 finger of the chelicera: is unarmed and rectilinear, and the inferior arcuated with 

 about two stout teeth. Long's Expedition, IT, p. 3. ENG. FD. 



