270 Mr. R. I. Pocock on the Genera and 



one day I captured an example of a small species as it was 

 running on tlie path in the hot sunshine, investigating the 

 external tunnelling of some termites. It seems probable that 

 these insects will prove to be their chief food." And, again, 

 " I frequently watched the diurnal species of Solpuga 

 \_S. sericea] on the Umfuli, while they were out hunting. 

 They run along at a great pace, but if undisturbed rarely 

 keep up the speed for more than 30 to 60 seconds, when they 

 will rest for a few seconds, usually in the shade of a tree- 

 trunk or under a projecting stone or dead leaf. If there 

 happens to be a small hollow where they stop, they always 

 depress their bodies into it so as to keep the abdomen flat on 

 the ground. After a short rest they suddenly rush off again 

 without the least warning. Often they will stop in mid- 

 course and suddenly begin hunting and feeling round a small 

 spot. This behaviour always reminds me of a dog checked 

 in its course by the scent of some bird or other animal, and 

 I have often wondered if these Solpugas hunt by scent, for their 

 eyes, though well adapted for seeing an enemy from above, 

 would hardly seem to be of much use in detecting small insects 

 on the ground. When running this species \_8. sericea], with 

 its grey colour and the very long white hairs on the hind legs, 

 looks like a bit of thistle-down blown along the ground. I 

 have several times seen them ascend the trunks of trees to a 

 height of ten to fifteen feet, and have often noticed them 

 catching those small thick-set jumping spiders [Attidas], and 

 less frequently small moths and beetles. But, in accordance 

 with my anticipation, I find that they are very fond of 

 termites. The only ones I have seen them eat belong to a 

 small species which makes no mound, but builds mud tunnels 

 along the surface of the ground among dead leaves, sticks, &c. 

 When the Solpuga comes across such tunnelling it examines 

 along it carefully, then suddenly breaks through the mud 

 and extracts a termite, the presence of which it detects, I 

 suppose, by either hearing or touch." 



Concerning the venom of these creatures the evidence is 

 conflicting. " A Kafir boy declared them to be very poi- 

 sonous, and said he had known of Kafirs dying from the 

 bite. One of my Kafirs recently showed me his hand, which 

 he declared had been bitten by the large brown nocturnal 

 species [R Darl{ngii'\ ; it was very much swollen and painful 

 and did not subside until the fourth day. On the other hand, 

 Mr. J. M. Hutchinson, of Estcourt, Natal, has kindly made 

 experiments on the bite of the common Solpuga there 

 \_S. hostilis, White] and finds it to be quite harmless, the 

 torceps being unable to pierce the tenderest skin." 



