140 HARVEST-SPIDERS 



other fungi, seeds and even chew pellets of miscellaneous vege- 

 table matter which they have carried to a suitable feeding ground 

 such as the top of a leaf. They have been recorded scavenging on 

 bird droppings and dead animal material such as worms, milli- 

 pedes, centipedes, ants, spiders, flies, beetles and vertebrates: in- 

 deed it seems that little organic material comes amiss to these 

 omnivorous creatures (Sankey, 1949a). More often however they 

 are seen to prey on woodlice, millipedes, centipedes, false-scor- 

 pions, spiders, mites and a wide variety of insects. A number of 

 species, such as Mitopus morioy are habitually cannibalistic while 

 the Trogulidae feed on snails such as Cepaea and Oxychilus spp. 

 and are mainly found in the chalky districts where these are most 

 numerous. The Ischyropsalidae also feed on Gasteropod molluscs 

 and have extra long chelicerae with which the prey is drawn from 

 its shell. When the snail is completely retracted the harvest-spider 

 sometimes breaks off pieces of the shell until it can reach the body 

 of the animal. The cavernicolous Scotolemon spp. are particularly 

 ferocious and hunt other arthropods, particularly beetles, which 

 they devour in great numbers. The sensitive second legs are of 

 prime importance in the recognition of prey. 



When eating, the chelicerae, pedipalps and legs may all be 

 brought into use. Legs and palps help in subduing living prey and 

 the pincers of the chelicerae serv^e to tear it to bits. Sometimes two 

 or more Phalangids may be seen pulling and tearing at the same 

 morsel of food. Water is of special importance in the economy of 

 harvest-spiders and most species do not survive for long without 

 it. They may fast for a fortnight or more without apparent discom- 

 fort but many will die in a couple of days if unable to drink. After 

 rain many species, both diurnal and nocturnal, may be found 

 abroad, but during periods of drought almost all will avoid direct 

 light and forage only at twilight or early in the morning (Bishop, 

 1949b). According to Savory (1938) a very thirsty harvestman is 

 stiff and torpid but if placed on the surface of the water remains 

 there sucking up the liquid like blotting paper. 



Enemies 



Adult harvest-spiders seem to have few enemies and most of 

 their difficulties in life are probably of a physical nature such as 



