278 NATURAL HISTORY OF OUR SHORES 



not appear to have been found on the English coast, but 

 in the Channel Islands, especially in Jersey, it is so abundant 

 as to form coloured patches on the sand banks. It is 

 about half-an-inch in length, bright scarlet, with black 

 markings in grotesque caricature of a human face. 



Pionosomus varius. Very common in Jersey, apparently 

 not recorded from England. 



Therapta hyoscyami lives in the flowers of the sea- 

 la vender, sea-holly, etc. This species resembles Pyrrochoris 

 aptera, but has ample wings. 



Dactylopius luffi, a species new to science, discovered by 

 Mr Luff on the sandy shore of Richmond in Guernsey. 



Orthoptera. A beautiful grasshopper, with bright blue 

 wings, named dZdipoda coendescens, is abundant on the 

 coast of Jersey, but is not recorded from England. It 

 occurs sparingly in Guernsey. 



Forficula auricula (variety forcipata), a large species of 

 earwig, is found in the Channel Islands, and in the Fame 

 Islands on the Northumberland coast. 



Arachnida. The maritime zone is rich in the mites and 

 spiders, but they do not seem to have been thoroughly 

 worked. Atypus sukeri, one of the " trap-door " spiders, 

 occurs in Guernsey and on the south-west coast of Jersey, 

 and probably in many other localities. A small species 

 which has, I believe, not been recorded occurs at St Owen's 

 Bay, Jersey, and is an exact miniature of the great Mygale 

 of Brazil. 



In the mites there is a large variety of species. A remark- 

 able form is Rhincolopus plumipes (Fig. 121). 



The long posterior legs, which are tufted at the extremity, 

 are no doubt of protective value, for when the mite is at 

 rest these are raised vertically, and form a very close 

 resemblance to a moss with sporangia. This form has only 

 lately been recorded so far north, hitherto only in Algeria 

 and Corfu. It is not uncommon in Jersey. 



