344 



mentary processes are sometimes so large that they almost 

 completely conceal the rest of the body. In the case of 

 the nymphs of some of the species of Liacarus, the leaf-like 

 appendages are radially arranged around the central part of 

 the body, giving the whole creature a beautiful stellate ap- 

 pearance. In the nymphal state the integument is usually 

 poorly chitinized. As would be expected, the sexual organs 

 are not developed in the case of the nymphs. 



About ten days are passed by the inert nymph preliminary 

 to the appearance of the adult. Upon the splitting of the old 

 nymphal skin the adult usually emerges, leaving its "old 

 clothes " behind ; but this is not always the case, as is shown 

 by the genus Neoliodes, the members of which carry through- 

 out life the cast nymphal skin — which can readily be removed 

 by treatment with potassium hydroxide. The members of 

 the genus Damceus almost always bear a part of the old 

 nymphal skin supported by means of the bristles on the dorsum 

 of the abdomen, but not adhering firmly to the newly formed 

 integument as in the case of the species of Neoliodes. The 

 adults immediately after emerging from the nymphal skin are 

 usually lighter in color than the older forms ; in other respects 

 they are the same. 



Habits. 



The Oribatoidea are very small creatures of about the size 

 of a pin-head, or even smaller. They may be easily found 

 under logs (slightly decayed), under bark, in rubbish, under 

 stones, in moss, or may be shaken from the branches of trees 

 or collected in grass sweepings. They live very largely upon 

 fungi, or, to some extent, upon plant juices, and apparently are 

 never predaceous although the Hoplodermidee have large and 

 powerful mandibles. Most of the beetle-mites, though blind, 

 are very sensitive to light, and avoid it when possible. I have 

 found that they have a very sensitive touch and also have the 

 power of smell, which sense may be situated in the so-called 

 pseudostigmatic organs. 



