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naturalist Dr. E. Nordenskidld starts in an interesting paper (15 
pag. 51) the theory ,.dass die håher organisirten Acaridenformen 
sich von den tiefer stehenden selbståndig entwickelt haben”; this 
theory, consistently followed, seems to me to involve the derivation 
of the higher Arachnids from the Acari, granted that we regard 
the Acari as Arachnids. I think that very few naturalists will be 
inclined to accept this view. 
Returning to our original subject after this long transgression, 
we have to investigate if the Notostigmata bear any relationship to 
the one or the other suborder of Acari. With the Trombidiidae 
there are some superficial points of similarity, viz: the two pair of 
eyes and a segmented abdomen; but these have no importance at 
all A twisted intestine with few coeca, an ovipositor and strongly 
dentated maxillae are also found in the Oribatidae but so differently 
shaped that they do not invite to further discussion. Between the 
Gamasidae and Eucaridae there are remarkable points of similarity. 
They have both of them a distinct movable pseudocapitulum with 
maxillary lobes (Winkler's ,,Lobi externi der Maxillen" 20 p. 325) 
and a basal labial åppendage (only one in the Gamasidae). The 
genital opening is in both found between the movable coxae. In spite 
of these interesting points of similarity there are so great differences 
between them in many respects that their relationship cannot be 
regarded as proved. The ,rostrum" is represented by a short 
bridge over the root of the antennae in the Eucaridae but is very 
long in the Gamasidae, the former have eyes, the latter have none; 
the WNotostigmata have four pair of dorsal abdominal stigmata, the 
Gamasidae (Mesostigmata) one lateral pair continued into a long 
péritråme. On the first question ,,Is there any relation between 
the Eucaridae and any suborder of Acari", we have got no definite 
answer; the investigation if there is any relationship between them 
and any order of Arachnids has yet to be made. 
Drs. Hansen and Sørensen who in a paper under publication 
are enlarging our knowledge about the Cryptostemma, have com- 
municated to me that there are points of similarity between the 
