1915.] F.H. GrAvELY : Indian Insects, Myriapods, etc. 527 
whether they ever make them a permanent abode.! That P. 
ceylonicus, s. siy., does this there can, I think, be no doubt. The 
first specimen I saw alive was found in Mr. Green’s workshop after 
dark ; it was sitting on the wall close to a large bookcase behind 
which it retreated as soonasI attempted to catch it. It must 
have been several days at least since it first came there, for a cast 
skin, which from its size appeared to have belonged to it, was 
found close by upon the wall, with cobwebs attached to it: and 
the animal itself had already become thoroughly hard and dry. 
On the following night the specimen (I have no doubt it was the 
same) was found again in the same place and captured; it lived 
healthily in a bare breeding cage for over two months, when I 
preserved it prior to leaving Ceylon. These striking creatures are 
also well known to residents in the island who frequently mention 
some particular room as one in which a specimen is often seen. 
The difference between Phrynichus ceylonicus and its variety 
pusillus in their ability to stand dryness is very marked.? The 
former will live healthily for at least a fortnight, and usually longer, 
in a bare cage with a wooden base and frame, glass sides and a 
perforated zinc top, whereas the latter always dies in a few days if 
not supplied with constantly moist soil. P. ceylonicus, variety 
pusillus, appears to be confined to the moist jungles of the lower 
hiils of Ceylon. P. ceylonicus, s. str., on the other hand, seems 
to be most abundant in places where climate or a porous soil 
produce drier conditions. On the only occasion on which I was 
able to test the capacity of P. ceylonicus, variety gracillibrachiatus, 
one specimen of this form and one of variety pusillus were put into 
a bare cage in which two specimens of P. ceylonicus, s. str., were 
living, after giving them ample opportunity of satisfying their 
thirst. Variety pusillus was found dead next evening and variety 
gracillibrachiatus on the following evening. 
It may be noted here that P. ceylonicus, variety pusillus, besides 
requiring damper surroundings than P. ceylonicus, s. sty., appears 
to be a much more thirsty animal; and I am inclined to think that 
small specimens of the latter are of a more thirsty disposition than 
old ones, though the evidence for this needs amplification. 
Charinides bengalensis also requires a certain amount of mois- 
ture in its surroundings, and no doubt it is on this account that it 
always choses for its abode some pile of bricks in a sheltered 
place where the ground is moistened nightly in the dry cold 
weather of Calcutta by a heavy dew. 
Tarantulids, like other Pedipalpi, are nocturual feeders; by 
day they hide themselves away. When one is exposed by turning 
over its shelter, it crouches flat down, and when eventually it 
darts suddenly away it rarely tries to escape to other stones, how- 
1 J have no evidence on this point with regard to P. nigrimanus and other 
species. 
2 P. nigrimanus probably resembles P. ceylonicus in this respect, but the 
evidence is somewhat conflicting. 
