406 AUGTJSTA RüCKEK, 



skilled in such undertakings. In undertaking any piece of research 

 not only just comments and careful criticisms are expected and 

 desired; but even severe criticism born of the desire to help is invited. 

 AVe who are comparatively new in scientific investigation realize the 

 great need of such supervision and criticism as only the true scientists 

 can give, who with DAnwiN-like persistance and patience in their 

 broad field of work have lost sight of the ego in the sciamus. 

 May we ahvays have guidance from such a source, but may \ve be 

 delivered from criticism begotten of ill-will and suspicion. 



IL 01)servatious on the Behavior and Striictiire of the Living 



Koeiienia. 



Owing to a dronght throughout Texas for over a year's duration, 

 in all the collecting done only two Koenenia were found and I had 

 to content myself with a study of Thelyphonus and Galeodes. Two 

 genera of the Solpugida seem to thrive in the hot and dry places 

 around Austin but not in such abundance as they occur in Brewster, 

 Jeff Davis and other Counties of the Trans-Pecos. It was not tili 

 the 14th of March, 1902 after the very slight spring rains which 

 occurred about Austin, that we succeeded in finding Koenenia again, 

 and then after a continual search of a whole afternoon, in which 

 two of US were engaged, we found only five Koenenia. These five 

 specimens were taken along a gulley on the Whitis place within 

 three blocks of the University. From this time on two of us have 

 searched diligently whenever the couditions were favorable. Until 

 April 13th, a month later, there were only slight rains in this locality 

 and because of lack of surface moisture only a few Koenenia were 

 found. Those that were taken came from Waller Creek, which did 

 not dry up like the other streams in and around Austin because it 

 was supplied with water from ponds on the State Insane Asylum 

 grounds. Under these couditions a whole afternoon of collecting 

 rarely revealed more than six specimens. 



While collecting in this region of Waller Creek it occurred to 

 me that I might take specimens alive to the laboratory and tliere 

 observe them with the aid of the microscope. I could be sure then 

 that I did not have to deal with the problem of shrinkage which 

 seemed to be causing some misunderstanding. It was very easy to 

 pick up the little animals on the point of a delicate brush and float 

 them off into water in a half-filled bottle. When the water was 



