678 THE GALEODES. 



Like many other very long-limbed creatures, the Harvest-spider seems to set little 

 store by its legs, and will throw off one or two of them on the slightest provocation. 

 Indeed, it is not very easy to find a Harvest-spider with all its limbs complete ; and if 

 such a being should be captured, it is nearly certain to shed a leg or two during the 

 process. It appears to be totally indifferent to legs, and will walk off quite briskly with 

 only half its usual complement of limbs. I have even known this arachnid to be 

 deprived of all its legs save one, and to edge itself along by this solitary member, in 

 a manner sufficiently ludicrous. The cast legs contain much irritability, and even after 

 they have been severed from the body continue to bend and straighten themselves for 

 some little time. 



A strange genus, termed Gonoleptes, is closely allied to the Phalangium. These 

 curious spiders have the palpi very broad, very flat, and armed with thorns ; and the body 

 is flat, expanded behind, and covered with a hard shelly skin. The legs are extremely 

 long, and the hinder pair are longer than the others. All the members of this genus are 

 exotic. 



THE formidable-looking arachnid which is called the GALEODES by no means belies 

 its appearance, but, from many accounts, seems to be a really dangerous creature. 



The bite of the Galeodes is much dreaded in the countries where the creature lives, 

 and is said to produce very painful and even dangerous effects. Still, we may leave an 

 ample margin for exaggeration ; and when we consider the black catalogue of crimes that 

 are attributed to the newt, the blindworm, and various other harmless creatures of our 

 own land, we may well imagine that the popular opinion of the Galeodes is not likely to 

 be very favourable. 



The Galeodes is fond of warm, sandy situations, and like many of the Arachnida, is 

 seldom seen except by night, when it comes from its hiding-place in search of prey. 

 Under such circumstances, it is very likely to retaliate if injured by a bare hand or foot, 

 and to inflict a wound causing considerable pain. 



There are several species belonging to this genus. 



Even the scorpion itself is hardly more formidable in aspect than the Galeodes, and to 

 the generality of the insect tribe it is even a more dreadful foe. Armed with two pairs of 

 powerful mandibles placed side by side, like the claws of lobsters without their jointed foot- 

 stalks, the Galeodes sets off at night in search of prey. It runs with wonderful rapidity, 

 more like a mouse than a spider, and, from the large size to which it sometimes attains, 

 covers much more space than a mouse as it darts over the floor. One specimen in the 

 British Museum is about two inches in length exclusive of the limbs, and measures exactly 

 ten inches in total length as it stands ready for action, with its body on the ground and 

 the limbs bent in the attitude represented in the engraving. If, therefore, the limbs were 

 straightened, the length would be very greatly increased. 



A large specimen of the Galeodes will attack any insect and almost any creature of 

 small size. It has been known to leap upon a lizard, to cling to its back as the com- 

 batants rolled about on the ground, to kill it by driving its fangs into the spinal cord at 

 the junction at the head with the neck, and, finally, to eat it entirely with the exception 

 of some of the larger bones. The lizard measured three inches in length, exclusive of 

 the tail. 



Much attention has been given to the Galeodes and its habits by Lieutenant-General 

 Sir J. Hearsey, K.C.B. who has kindly communicated to me the following observations : 



When the Galeodes approaches any creature that it desires to attack, it thrusts out 

 its long palpi, touches the body with the rounded tips of those members, and immediately 

 raises them aloft, as if fearful lest they should be injured. The whole action is wonderfully 

 like the manner in which an elephant flings its proboscis in the air after touching any- 

 thing of which it is not quite sure. The tips of the palpi are rounded and soft, and when 

 they are applied to any object a sort of phosphorent flame seems to be emitted from 

 them. Having satisfied itself by the touch, the creature rushes in at once to the attack. 



In order to ascertain whether the Galeodes would really attack and eat vertebrated 

 animals, an ordinarily-sized specimen was captured and placed under a bell-glass. A very 



