286 



Marvels of the Universe 



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small animals known as Chelifers, or false scorpions, one of which is represented in the accom- 

 panying photomicrographs. The whole CheHfer is shown about forty-seven times, and the illustration 

 below about sixty times the natural size. If one looks closely at flies, especially in warm weather 

 in the autumn, now and again a small object will be seen attached to one leg of a fly, generally 

 one of the last pair ; it is pretty sure to be one of these creatures. One day in September I 

 caught six of them in one room (not in an old house, by the way), all held on by one claw onh', and 

 in most cases the grip was taken high up on the fly's leg. The one from which the illustrations 

 were made, a paiticularly large specimen (though its length of body was increased in the course 

 of preparing it as a microscopic slide), was attached to the foot of a fly, and it was seen in this 

 position with some hours' interval between observations. The flies seem to suffer a certain 

 amount of inconvenience, which they show in endeavouring to get quit of their passenger by 

 rubbing their legs together. The Chelifer apparently uses the fly, as Sinbad did the roc, as a 



means of changing his quarters- 

 Autumn is a time of migration, 

 and he possibly feels the need 

 —^ of a warmer place of abode for 



'■■ the approaching winter. 



On the other hand, these 

 ' - false scorpions may actually 



be parasites on the flies. In 

 the larger illustration, two 

 pairs of jaws armed with long 

 teeth are shown, which are 

 probably used for gripping and 

 at the same time sucking the 

 juices of its prey after the 

 manner of the real scorpions. 

 Thus the Chelifer seems well 

 equipped for a parasitical exist- 

 ence, and the absence of eyes 

 in the creature points in the 

 same direction. However, as 

 far as my personal observation 

 goes, these little animals are 

 never attached to the body of 

 the insect. Again, their con- 

 nection with flies may be purely accidental. Both for hibernating and for laying their eggs, flies 

 frequent places which are likely haunts of the Chelifer ; the latter may seize the flj^'s leg in 

 mistake for its regular prey, and once fastened, it certainty clings with great tenacity. 



In colour the Chelifer is a reddish-brown. Besides the formidable lobster-like claws already men- 

 tioned, which are attached to its head, it has eight legs, a characteristic of the spider tribe to which 

 it belongs. It bears in several respects a remarkable resemblance, though of course in miniature, 

 to the true scorpions (fortunately not natives of the British islands), to which it is akin. Anyone 

 comparing these photographs with drawings or photographs of real scorpions will see how similar 

 are the claws and head ; the false scorpion, however, lacks the formidable tail with the sting at 

 its tip. They are also called Book Scorpions, because in olden, and probably dirtier, times they 

 were to be found in libraries. They are not uncommon in store-rooms of old houses, in piles of 

 dusty and neglected papers, and in stables ; also under the bark of trees, in rotten wood or moss 

 and under stones. Though the Book Scorpion looks a fearsome creature when seen under a 



Photo bii] lErncxI Marriatji;. 



THE CLAWS OF THE FALSE SCORPION. 



These are attached to the head of the creature, which is further armed with two 

 pairs of powerful jaws with whicli to suck the juices of its prey. The creature is also 

 Unown as the Book Scorpion, as one of its favourite haunts is an old and disused book. 



