June, iQii.] EwING: NotES ON PsEUDOSCORPIONS. 67 



den Biichern, Kleidungsstiicken, in Hiihnerstallen unter Strohabfallen 

 und trocknem Kothe, niemals da, wo es feucht ist." It is also re- 

 ported to have similar habits by Simon, who regarded the species as 

 probably being cosmopolitan :" " Cette espece, repandue dans toute 

 I'Europe, habite I'interieur des maisons; on la trouve dans les coins 

 obscurs, sur les boiseries, souvent dans les herbiers, meme dans les 

 boites de collection d'insectes; elle marche assez lentement et se cache 

 dans les plus petites fissures. Dans ces conditions elle se trouve 

 toujours isolement et rarement; elle a cependant ete vue en nom- 

 breuse famille, par quelques observateurs, dans des ruches aban- 

 donnees, d'anciens nids de guepes et des pigeonniers mal entretenus. — 

 Le C- cancroides se trouve aussi, mais beaucoup plus rarement et acci- 

 dentellement, sous des ecorces d'arbres, meme eloignees de toute 

 habitation." 



In this country C. cancroides is found most frequently under the 

 bark of trees, rather than in the more artificial conditions surround- 

 ing the habitations of man. Under the bark of a single oak (Qucrciis 

 alba), at Ames, la., I found scores of individuals. On this tree there 

 was a regular colony of the species, and for many months I made 

 frequent observations upon them. Just why they remained on this 

 single tree when there were many others standing only a few feet 

 away I could not determine. The leaves of the tree appeared to be 

 infested with plant lice, and ants were at times constantly passing 

 up and down the trunk to and from the lice. It may be that the 

 pseudoscorpions fed upon the ants, but I never found any of them 

 doing so. In our country this species is only rarely found in artificial 

 conditions, that is, in dwelling houses, under old books, etc. 



From these facts it would appear that America is the native home 

 of this form, and not Europe, for here its conditions of life are more 

 natural and in Europe they are more artificial. It must also be 

 remembered that this is one of the very few of the species of this 

 group which lives in artificial conditions. The native home of the 

 pseudoscorpions was without doubt in the forests under bark, under 

 logs where the ground was dry, beneath dry and matted grasses, etc. 

 It is in these conditions that C. cancroides is most commonly found 

 in this country and in these conditions some of its members are yet 

 found no matter in what part of the world they are studied. 



- Simon, E., Les Arachnides de France, VII, p. 24. 



