ORDER ADELARTHROSOMATA. 145 



with the state of the animal stung, or of the scorpion itself, a 

 far greater efficiency is given to the sting. 



ORDER III. ADELARTHROSOMATA. 



This order, as above indicated, comprises the three follow- 

 ing families : 



1. The Solpugida, having somewhat the appearance of 

 large spiders, but possessing a pair of large compressed claws 

 attached in front of the mouth, with the finger moveable. The 

 palpi are large, and resemble antennae or legs, and the abdo- 

 men, which is flesh}' and very hairy, is composed of nine 

 joints. They run with great rapidity, throwing up the head 

 in an attitude of defence when attacked, and are reputed ve- 

 nomous, whence the name of the typical species, fatalis (Fa- 

 bricius). With the exception of a species found near Havan- 

 nah by M. Poey, the species of this genus inhabit the hot 

 sandy countries of the old world. 



2. The Cheliferidee, having very much the appearance of 

 minute scorpions, destitute of tails, the body being oval, de- 

 pressed, and narrowed in front ; the palpi as long or longer 

 than the body, in the form of arms, each terminated by a 

 double claw ; the legs are of equal size, and short, being ter- 

 minated by two hooks ; the breast is not furnished with the 

 remarkable toothed appendages to be observed in the scor- 

 pions. 



As a family, these little animals are highly interesting in respect 

 to the general distribution of the class to which they belong, exhi- 

 biting, as they do, the appearance of one group, whilst they in 

 reality belong to another quite distinct. They are found, in gene- 

 ral, in moist situations, in moss under stones, flower-pots in gar- 

 dens, and in unfrequented parts of buildings ; they also get into 

 old books, herbariums, &c., where they feed upon other more 

 minute insects, such as Atropos lignarius, Acari, and occasionally 

 even venturing to attack the domestic fly, of which circumstance 

 various notices will be found in the Magazine of Natural History. 

 I have captured the largest species which I have hitherto seen of' 

 the group, under the bark of trees in Windsor forest, in the act of 



o 



