336 ARACHNIDES. 



rent cheliceree terminated by two fingers and two toes, formed by 

 the first joint of the palpi. They are all terrestrial, and have an 

 oval or oblong body. This family comprehends but two genera. 



GALEODES, Oliv. Solpuga, Licht., Fab. 



Two very large chelicerae, with strongly dentated vertical fingers, one su- 

 perior, fixed, and frequently furnished at its base with a slender, elongated, 

 pointed appendage, and the other movable; large projecting palpi in the 

 form of feet or antennae, terminated by a short, vesicular joint, resembling 

 a button without a terminal hook; the two anterior feet of an almost similar 

 figure, equally unarmed, but smaller. 



Their body is oblong, generally soft, and bristled with long hairs. The 

 last joint of the palpi, according to M. Dufour, contains a particular organ 

 formed like a disk, of a nacre-white, and which never protrudes unless the 

 animal is irritated. The two anterior feet may be considered as second 

 palpi. The abdomen is oval, and composed of nine annuli. 



It is supposed that the ancients designated these animals by the names of 

 Phalangium, Solifuga, Tetragnatha, &c. M. Poe discovered a species in 

 the environs of Havana, but the others are peculiar to the hot and sandy 

 countries of the eastern continent. They run with great celerity, erect 

 their head when surprised, and show signs of resistance; they are considered 

 venomous. 



CHELIFER, Geoff. Obisium, Illig. 



The palpi elongated in the form of an arm, with a hand terminated by a 

 didactyle forceps; all the legs equal, terminated by two hooks; the eyes 

 placed on the sides of the thorax. 



These animals resemble small Scorpions destitute of a tail. Their body 

 is flattened, and the thorax nearly square, with one or two eyes on each side. 



They run swiftly, and frequently retrograde or move sideways like Crabs. 



FAMILY II. 



PYCNOGONIDES. 



The trunk, in this family, is composed of four segments, occupy- 

 ing nearly the whole length of the body and terminated at each 

 extremity by a tubular joint, the anterior of which is the largest, 

 sometimes simple, and sometimes accompanied by chelicerae and 

 palpi, or only one kind of these organs, that constitutes the mouth. 

 There are eight legs in both sexes, formed for running, but the fe- 

 male is furnished with two additional false ones, placed near the 

 two anterior, and solely destined to carry her eggs. 



