CHAPTER X 



THE FOOD OF ANIMALS— CARNIVOROUS ARACHNIDA 

 AND MYRIAPODA— PERIPATUS 



SPIDER-LIKE ANIMALS (Arachnida) 



The second class of air-breathing Arthropods to be considered 

 is that of the Arachnida, including Scorpions, Whip-Scorpions, 

 Spiders, False Spiders, False Scorpions, Harvestmen, Mites, and 

 Ticks. 



SCORPIONS (SCORPIONID^) (see vol. i, p. 385) 



These unpleasant creatures are found in nearly all the hotter 

 parts of the globe, and all of them capture living prey of various 

 nature. Scorpions are mostly nocturnal, and this may partly 

 account for the fact that they perceive the presence of their 

 quarry by touch rather than sight, and the large pincers are of im- 

 portance in this respect, playing the part of tactile organs as well 

 as of weapons. Many Scorpions find a refuge and lurking-place 

 combined underneath stones or in convenient crannies, others 

 make excavations in earth or sand for the same purposes. The 

 large pincers l^pedipalpt) are used for seizing prey, in which also 

 the smaller nippers (chelicerce) in front of them may help, the narrow 

 tail is then bent forward with great rapidity, and the sting in which 

 it ends brought into use. Two poison-glands are lodged within 

 the broad base of the sting, and open upon its tip. The mouth is 

 extremely small, and the front part of the food-tube is specialized 

 into a suction-pump by which the juices of the prey are extracted. 



WHIP-SCORPIONS (Pedipalpi) (see vol. i, p. 389) 



The curious little Whip-Scorpions {Pedipalpi), widely distri- 

 buted in the tropical and hot parts of both New and Old Worlds, 

 are predaceous forms, unprovided with the poisoned sting of their 

 larger namesakes. The hind end of the body may be possessed of 



