72 Proceedings of the Royal LHsh Academy. 



Powell aud myself, at Kirby-le-Sokeu (Essex), iu an old brick- buildiug long 

 used for stabling an ass and containing a qiiantity of refuse of old haj', etc. ; 

 and a re-examination of mj- collections showed that it had already occurred 

 in other places : at Ewhurst (Surrey), found by Capt. Aird Whyte, in a cow- 

 shed ; in London, found by Mr. A. J. Chitty, in a granary ; near Lancaster, 

 found by ilr. F. H. Gravely on his own body after camping on a bed of hay ; 

 in Eggerslack Wood (Lancashire), found liy ilr. E. Standen (8), possibly, as 

 he now thinks, about the nests of small mammals ; more recently T found it 

 at Machynlleth ( ilontgomeryshire), iu a stable-loft where fowls nested; and, 

 since it thus appears to be associated with the homes of vertebrate animals, 

 it will no doubt be shown eventually to inhabit hollows of trees and other 

 covered places inhabited by bats, owls, etc. 



The animal is allied to Chelifcr (Gherncs) Wideri C. L. Koch, and has 

 been confused with that species, or recorded as C. phaleratvs Sim., which is a 

 synonym of C. Widan.^ That species was established by C. L. Koch (1), on 

 Bavarian specimens, found " in dem faulen Holzstaube einer Eiche " ; Simon Qi) 

 found it in the forest of Fontaiuebleau " sous les forces de chenes " ; while 

 in Britain we know it in Sherwood Forest, in the old forest-land of Eichmond 

 Park, and in a small remnant of forest at "West Wickham (Kent), always 

 under the bark of old oaks ; and, unlike other tree-species, it is usually found 

 where the small space between the bark and the wood is choked with a 

 characteristic reddish powdery debris. The two species thus appear to have 

 difterent habitats ; and they are certainly distinct. 



The confusion of the two animals has resulted from the fact that they 

 possess in common a number of good characters which would not be expected 

 to co-exist iu more than one species. By tliese characters they are separated 

 at first sight from all other species of Chelifer (Chernes) represented with 

 us. Together, and no doubt with other species occurring in Europe and as 



'That 0. Widen C. L. Koch, 1843, and C. phaleratiis Sim., 1879, are identical is 

 suggested by Simon's account of his species (3), and is confirmed by paratypes (from 

 Fontaiuebleau) given to me by him. With regard to Simon's statement that L. Koch, to 

 whom he had sent specimens, found them to difler from C Wideri, the e.xplanation 

 probably is that the comparison was made with the animal found by L. Koch at 

 Niirnberg "in Hausern " (2), probably C. Powelli. It is true that Ellingsen (who has 

 retired from zoological work) regarded 6'. H'ideri and C. phaleratus as separate species ; 

 and, since he stated (7) that the latter was distinguished by less robust palps, it was 

 presumably C. Powelli ; and I certainly found that species among specimens labelled 

 " C. phaleratus " lent to me by Dr. R. Gestro from the Museo Civico at Genoa. But it 

 must not be assumed that all the records of "C pluderatus" relate to either one or the 

 other of these species : e.g. C. phaleratus {Sim.) Cambridge (10) C. scorpioides Herm. : 

 C. phaleratus (Sim.) Cambridge (5) = C. Panzeri C. L. Koch ; C. phaleratus (Sim ) 

 Godfrey (4) = C. duhius (Carab.) ; etc. 



