80 Illinois State Laboratory of Natural History. 



the phalangid fauna of the northern, central, and southern por- 

 tions of Illinois. I have also received, through the kindness of 

 my brother, Mr. Howard E. Weed, a fine series of certain species 

 from Lansing, Michigan; and from Mr. T. P. Carter, a number 

 of specimens collected at Jacksonville, 111. I am, further, under 

 special obligations to Mr. Chas. W. Woodworth, who has 

 verified my determinations of several of Wood's species by 

 comparison with the types in the Museum of Comparative 

 Zoology at Cambridge; and have to thank Professors Forbes 

 and Garman and Mr. Chas. A. Hart for many favors. 



The Phalangiina^ are found abundantly from midsummer 

 until late in autumn in the fields and woods, especially about 

 rocky ledges, and in the vicinity of barns and out-houses. They 

 ordinarily hide during the day, but at twilight wander about 

 in search of food. Until quite recently it has generally been 

 supposed that they captured and ate living insects; but Dr. H. 

 Henking, of Germany, has shown* that they prefer dead insects, 

 and seldom, if ever, attack living ones. The females of most 

 species deposit spherical white eggs in the ground in autumn, 

 and the adults ordinarily do not survive the winter. One 

 species (Liobtmum (?) formosnm), however, seems to be an 

 exception to this rule, as I have found the adults abundant 

 during the early spring months. 



The harvest-men are easily collected and preserved in alco- 

 hol for study or exhibition. As the genital organs are fre- 

 quently of great value in determining species, it is well to pre- 

 serve them exposed — a simple operation, requiring only that 

 the abdomen of the living specimen be compressed between 

 the thumb and finger, when these organs will be extruded, 

 and if the specimen is immediately dropped into alcohol will 

 ordinarily remain exposed. 



Champaign, III., Nov. 22, 1887. 



* Zeitschrift filr Wissenschaftliche Zoologie, Vol. XLV.,p. 87. 



