lis UEV. RODERT GODFREY 



False Scorpions. 



By the lievd. Kocert Godfrey. 



False-scorpions coiistiliile a compact and well-marked 

 gronp of animals, representatives of which are found 

 everywhere in our land. The number of South African 

 species at present known, to tlie South of the Zambesi, 

 is about sixty, but, when more exhaustive investigations 

 have been carried out, this number ought to reach a 

 hundred at least. It is safe to say that in any part of 

 the land a naturalist may find a dozen species within a 

 radius of ten miles from his home. Some districts have 

 undoubtedly many more; tlie number known from the 

 Cape Peninsula is fourteen, from Tsolo division nine 

 teen, and fi-om King William's Town division twenty- 

 nine. 



These creatures, as their name implies, superficially 

 resemble true scorpions, but are at once distinguished 

 by their having rounded hind-bodies destitute of sting. 

 They are of small dimensions, some of our local soecies 

 measuring less than a millimetre in lengtli and the largest 

 attaining a length of six millimetres. 



Except in tlie case of the so-called " little red crab." 

 our South African species are not popularly known, but 

 the excepted species, known scientifically as Chelifer 

 srifplfHrains Lewis, will serve as an introduction to the 

 gi'ouj). Til is s])ecies has attained notoriety from its as 

 sociation witli our bees and is known to observant bee 

 keepers all over the T^nion. The ''little red crab" 

 attracts the attention of the beekeeper when he exposes 

 his sections to the light of the day, and the sight of it 

 raises queries in his mind as to the lawfulness of its 

 presence aiuong his bees. No beekeeper, however, seems 

 as yet to have discovered the jjart jdayed by the " crabs^' 

 in the economy of the hive. 



