THE ARACHNID A OF CAMBRIDGESHIRE. 



BY C. WARBURTON, M.A., Christ's College. 



THE four British orders of land Arachnida, (1) Chernitidea 

 or false-scorpions, (2) Araneae or spiders, (3) Phalangidea or 

 harvestmen, and (4) Acari or mites, are all well represented 

 in the neighbourhood of Cambridge. But while the Cambridge 

 list of spiders is a respectable one, comprising more than 180 

 out of about 500 British species, and a certain number of the 

 comparatively few British species of harvestmen and false- 

 scorpions have been locally recorded, hardly any attempt has 

 been made to grapple with the large and important group of 

 the mites, which probably, in the number of species, and most 

 certainly in the number of individuals, would far out-number 

 all the other local Arachnida put together. 



A few words will suffice with regard to the local false- 

 scorpions or harvestmen, but there are points of interest in 

 connection with the spiders which call for a somewhat larger 

 notice. 



(1) The Chernitidea or false-scorpions are creatures so 

 small in size, and so retiring in habit, that it is quite possible for 

 an observant person to pass years without ever seeing a speci- 

 men, unless he is specially searching for these animals or for 

 other small creatures which affect similar haunts. It is just 

 possible he may have noticed examples clinging to the legs 

 of house-flies, or come across a " book-scorpion " between the 

 leaves of some disused volume. Such chance occurrences are 

 rare, however, and anyone who wants to make acquaintance 

 with these creatures will do better to search diligently under 

 M. & s. 13 



