626 araciimija. 



in its form approaches the spiders, as noticed by Latreille. 

 The four-jointed antennse are long and elbowed, Avhile there 

 are eight simple eyes on each side of the head. The species 

 are found on the leaves of garden plants, and when disturbed 

 leajj like fleas, which the}^ much resemble. In Papirius of 

 Lubbock, the antennae are said to be "four-jointed, but with- 

 out a well marked elbow, and with a short terminal segment, 

 offering the appearance of being manj'-jointed." 



ORDER II. ARACHNIDA. 



The typical forms of this order have the body divided into 

 two regions, the head-thorax (cephalothorax) and abdomen. 

 The head is sometimes quite distinct, but is generall}^ sunken 

 into the thorax, which bears four pairs of legs, while the abdo- 

 men has no organs of locomotion, though the abdomen is pro- 

 vided with three pairs of jointed appendages (the spinnerets)^ 

 which are, however, homologous with the legs. The metamor* 

 phosis is very incomplete in the lower forms, while in the 

 spiders there is none at all after the animal leaves the egg. 

 The head is without antennae, or compound ej^es. The order 

 shows its close relationship with the Dipterous insects, especi- 

 ally wJien compared with the wingless Chionea and Nj'cteribia, 

 and its lowest forms (certain mites) bear a close resemblance 

 to some of the lower Crustacea, as the young stages and em- 

 brj^onic development are remarkably similar. The typical 

 forms of the order homologize too closely with the apterous 

 insects to allow them to be separated as a distinct class. We 

 shall see below that the rank here assigned to the group ac- 

 cords well with their anatomical characters and habits. 



In some genera there is a decided line of demarcation 

 between the head and the thorax, which is, however, ^er}^ 

 distinct during embryonic life, and we do not perceive that 

 gradual transition from mouth-parts to swimming legs which 

 obtains in the Crustacea. The order, however, has much 

 lower, more degraded forms than the Myriapods even, as 

 the genus Demodex testifies, which may recall readily certain 

 Intestinal worms. This we would consider as but an example 



