234 Mr. E. I. Pocock on the Species of 



determination of their age, sex, and specific identity *, I have 

 found it possible, with some degree, I hope, of exactness, to 

 identify the rich material of this genus contained in the 

 collection of the British Museum. I have added some notes 

 respecting the various species, which, I trust, may be of 

 service in their determination ; but especially do I wish to 

 draw attention to the fact that many of the specimens have 

 been obtained of late years, and are consequently furnished 

 with trustworthy and exact localities — an item of information 

 which has been so much ignored in connexion with these 

 animals, but which will ultimately prove, I think, to be of 

 the first importance. For instance, when discussing 0. ca- 

 pensis, apparently the commonest species of all in most 

 collections, Kraepelin says that its distribution seems to be 

 exclusively Cape Colony (Capland). This, no doubt, is 

 perfectly true ; but I cannot lay my hands upon a particle of 

 evidence that the species ranges throughout Cape Colony. It 

 appears, in fact, so far as I can determine at present, to be 

 restricted to a relatively narrow but undetermined area around 

 Cape Town and the Cape of Good Hope ; and there is no 

 evidence known to me that any other species inhabits the 

 same spot. That many more species than at present are 

 known from specimens ticketed vaguely " S. Africa or Cape 

 Colony " will be found also to have a restricted range is, I 

 think, probable, though, on the other hand, there are some — 

 0. carinatusy for example — that cover a wide area in distri- 

 bution. 



Opisthophthalmus capensis (Herbst). 



Scwpio capensis, Herbst, Naturg. d. Scorpione. p. G2, pi. v. fig. 2 



(lbOO), $. 

 Opisthophthalmus pilosus, C. Koch, Die Arachn. iv. p. 91, tig. o09 



(1838), d- 

 Opisthophthalmm ma.vilhsus, id. ibid, (young, teste Kraep.). 



Of this species the British Museum has twenty-three 

 examples of all ages and both sexes. It is evident that Cape 

 Town is the head- quarters of this species. How far it extends 

 to the north and east of this point 1 have no means of judging. 

 Cf the above-mentioned examples no fewer than fourteen are 

 ticketed Cape Town, received from R. Trimen, R. C. 

 Wroughton, Rev. G. H. R. Fiske, and H. A. Spencer; 

 while all the rest that are labelled came from the Cape of 

 Good Hope. I cannot understand Kraepelin's reasons for 



* See " Revision der Scorpione. — II. Scorpionida; und Bothriurida;," 

 Jahrb llanib. Anstalten, xi. 1, pp. 77-108. 





