166 BRITISH SPECIES OF PHALANGIDEA OR HARVEST MEN. 



scarcely necessary to go here. Our British species, 24 in number, 

 are distributed among three families, Phalangiidce, Nemastomatidce, 

 and Trogulidce, each of which, as well as the British genera and 

 species contained in them, will be characterised in detail further 

 on. 



Harvest-men cannot boast of any bright colours ; they are 

 mostly of different shades and mixtures of white, grey, brown, 

 yellowish, and black. The sexes may usually be distinguished by the 

 smaller size of its body and by the brighter or clearer markings and 

 colours in the male, its longer slenderer legs and their better 

 developed armature, as well as by the development of the falces 

 and palpi. In many cases, unless actually dissected, the sexes, in 

 some groups (Trogulidce) are, however, very difficult to distinguish, 

 especially in the immature state. 



The trivial name Harvest-men has been obtained by the 

 commoner species of the group, probably because they are observed 

 in their greatest abundance at the harvest time, among the herbage 

 grass and weeds in the hedges and cornfields ; for the same reason 

 no doubt the French call them "faucheurs" (reapers). The species 

 thus observed belong to the family Phalangiidce and principally to 

 a few species, such as Phalangium cornutum, Liobunum rotundum, 

 and L. Blackwallii, while on bushes and moss-covered trees as well 

 as among herbage in woods Oligolophus morio is very common ; 

 and on heaths and chalk downs, under stones, &c., Phalangium 

 saxatile. 



It is not easy to conjecture why, compared to spiders, 

 there should be so few species of this group in existence. 

 The European species do not much exceed fifty, those as yet 

 known of Great Britain being, as before observed, only 

 twenty-four. Some are widely distributed and abundant, 

 others very local and rare ; but as so few naturalists pay any 

 attention to them we cannot at present speak with much certainty 

 upon this. Not much is known of their habits. Some may be 

 seen pursuing their way at night on tree trunks, &c., but many 

 are diurnal as well, if not exclusively so. They prey upon small 



