132 THE FOOD OF ANIMALS 



FALSE SCORPIONS (Pseudoscorpionid^) (see vol. i, p. 389) 



These minute creatures owe their superficial resemblance to 

 Scorpions chiefly to the fact that the first two pairs of appendages 

 are constructed on the same plan. They do not, however, possess 

 tails, and difler in many other ways from their namesakes. False 

 Scorpions lurk under bark and in all sorts of crannies where they 

 are likely to meet with their food, which consists of mites and 

 small wingless insects. They are often to be found in old books, 

 neglected plant collections, and the like. 



HARVESTMEN (Phalangid^) (see vol. i, p. 390) 



The members of this group, with which we are familiar in this 

 country, look something like spiders with very long thin legs, but 

 are in reality as unlike spiders in structure as false scorpions are 

 unlike true ones. The first pair of jaws are strong nippers suited 

 for seizing insects or other small creatures, while the second pair 

 of appendages are feelers. 



MITES AND TICKS (Acarina) 



Those members of this specialized group which live upon 

 animal matter are parasitic in the most interesting cases, and 

 consideration of them may be postponed till parasitism is dealt 



with. 



CENTIPEDES AND MILLIPEDES (Myriapoda) 



Centipedes, Millipedes, and their allies together constitute the 

 third class of air-breathing Arthropoda, to which the name of 

 Myriapoda has been applied on account of the large number of 

 legs usually present. Millipedes are of vegetarian habit, and will 

 be considered elsewhere. 



CENTIPEDES (Syngnatha or Chilopoda) 



Centipedes are highly predaceous animals, feeding upon in- 

 sects and other invertebrates. One of the commonest native 

 species, the Thirty-foot {Lithobius forficatus) (see vol. i, p. 394), 

 is an active, chestnut-coloured thirty-legged animal, common under 

 stones and in garden earth. The head bears two groups of simple 

 eyes and a pair of long feelers, which no doubt — the latter espe- 

 cially — aid in the pursuit of prey. The mouth-parts are of biting 



