SPECIES OF GALEODIDJE IN INDIA AND CEYLON. 439 



The two genera may be easily recognised as follows : — 



a— Legs and palpi short and robust with all the tarsi or terminal 



segments undivided. The tarsus of the palp is immovably fused with 



the preceding segment or protarsus. The abdominal spiracles are 



visible as distinct apertures in front of the posterior edge of the second 



and third ventral plates and are not protected by teeth Ehasc. 



b — Legs and palpi long and slender ; the tarsus of the palp distinctly 

 movable ; tarsi of second and third leg composed of two segments, that 

 of the fourth of three segments. Abdominal spiracles situated behind 

 the second and third ventral plates and protected by a series of spini- 



form teeth • •••<> .Galeodes. 



The known Indian and Ceylonese species of these two genera are 

 enumerated below. But considering the relatively small number of 

 localities from which examples have been obtained, it is impossible to 

 doubt that a large number yet remain to be discovered. 



We know but little of the habits of the Arachnida of this group. 

 But from the few accounts that have come to hand, they appear to 

 frequent sandy, dry localities, to be nocturnal, and extremely voracious 

 but not venomous. Galeodes is remarkably agile in its movements, and 

 Rhax by comparison is somewhat slow. An interesting account of a 

 female Galeodes that was kept in captivity is given by Captain Hutton 

 in vol. xi of the Journ. As. Soc. Bengal (1842). This gentleman 

 incidentally states that his specimen laid a batch of eggs ; but since 

 other authors declare that the young are born alive, it is clear that 

 fresh observations on the subject are much needed. We also know 

 absolutely nothing about their method of pairing; and this subject is 

 of the greatest importance, in view of the unexplained and striking 

 differences that exist between the sexes of the same species. The males 

 are slenderer than the females 3 and have much longer legs and palpi, 

 from which we may infer that they have need of greater activity. Their 

 mandibles are, however, considerably weaker, the dentition of the 

 upper jaw is nearly obsolete, and they are furnished above with a 

 curious organ known as the flagellum. The function of the flagellum is 

 entirely unknown ; but from the small size of the mandible and from 

 the feebleness of its teeth one would be inclined to suspect that the 

 mandibles are used by the male for holding the female during copu- 

 lation. We also have no positive knowledge of the function of those 

 very characteristic organs, the malleoli, which are situated upon the 



