PHALANGES OF THE UNITED STATES. 15 



gium, however, when he walks, does not generally raise 

 his body much above the ground, but so bends his long 

 legs that their extremities are near the surface, whilst 

 their central portion is high in the air. As a consequence 

 of this the body of the animal is almost in the same plane 

 as his prey, which he is thus enabled to watch during his 

 approach. I have never seen a Harvest-man seize his 

 victim, but, according to Herbert, "Sie springen und 

 sturzen auf die Beute wie die Katze auf die Maus und 

 halten sie mit den Palpen wie mit Handen selbst."* 



Mr. A. Tulk,f speaking of the habits of Phalangium 

 Opilio, says, "The harvest-spiders, at least the present 

 species, are nocturnal in their habits and capture their 

 prey, consisting of flies, mosquitoes, and small lepidop- 

 tera, by stealing cautiously towards it, and making a 

 gliding spring upon the victim when within reach. I 

 have repeatedly seen individuals of P. cornutum, when in 

 confinement, pursue each other with the utmost perti- 

 nacity, the larger generally pouncing upon the former, 

 and having brought them within reach of the chelicerse 

 and palpi by grappling them with their long legs, proceed 

 to devour the body, leaving the extremities untouched. 

 They use one of their legs occasionally to support the 

 food to their mouth." In our northern climates, proba- 

 bly but few Phalangians survive the winter. Dr. Lin- 

 cecum writes that large numbers winter in Texas, in the 

 long moss (Tillandsia usneoides). In the spring, all of 

 the specimens to be found in this neighborhood are evi- 

 dently very young, just hatched. They are small, very 

 soft and tender, and have not the coloration and other 

 specific characters well pronounced. Towards the close of 

 summer no more young specimens are to be met with. 

 All of the females are then full of eggs. The eggs are 

 said to be laid in the autumn in protected crevices, under 

 dry stones, etc., hatching out in the spring. 



CLASSIFICATION. In regard to the classification of this 

 group, there is no doubt but that its value is that of a 

 suborder, and that is naturally divided into two families, 



* They spring and pounce upon their victim as the cat upon the 

 mouse, and seize it with their palpi as if with hands, 

 t Annals and Mag. Nat. Hist. 1843, p. 246. 



