212 



Kew : Lincolnshire Pseudoscorpions. 



and Dr. Lukis, and is proved, I think, by those of Mr. 

 Backhausen now to be quoted. The observations referred to 

 were made in South America, and were reported in 1893 by 

 Professor Berg", who had every confidence in the observer. 

 A fly with a Pseudoscorpion hanging- by one pincer to one of its 

 legs was placed under a giass ; and after an hour it was 

 observed that the leg- to which the Arachnid was attached 

 became stiff. Next morning-, Mr. Backhausen found the fly 

 dead and the Pseudoscorpion fat and bloated under some scraps 

 of paper. He next placed ten Pseudoscorpions on a tray with 

 earth and leaves, put them under the giass, left them for a few 

 days without food, and then imprisoned a few small flies. As 

 soon as the Pseudoscorpions perceived the presence of the 

 insects they came out of hiding- and beg-an to snatch at them, 

 attaching- themselves to their legs, always with one pincer, but 

 using- the other in their endeavours to obtain an assured holding. 

 Once fixed they continued to cling to the leg. The observer 

 was somewhat hindered by want of appliances ; but according 

 to Professor Berg he established : (1) that the imprisoned leg 

 soon became stiff" [this was not the case in Dr. Hess' observa- 

 tion] ; (2) that the flies died while the Pseudoscorpions remained 

 on the legs ; and (3) that after the flies' death the creatures 

 travelled along the legs to the body, and finally drew the insects 

 under the leaves to suck out their juices. Similar results were 

 obtained with a horse-fly [Tabanus] ; but its death occurred less 

 quickly, as was expected from its greater size. Mr. Reeker, 

 who has also written on this subject, has supported the views 

 derivable from the last-quoted notes. This he does, however, 

 merely on the strength of observations, of little importance, on 

 the behaviour of Pseudoscorpions shut up by him and by Dr. 

 Westhoff with somewhat small flies and beetles. He mentions, 

 among other things, that a gnat (Culex pipiens) given to a 

 Chelifer was seized by the leg — the Arachnid would not let go, 

 and next morning the gnat was dead.* Further observations 

 on the lines suggested by those of Dr. Hess and Mr. Backhausen 

 are certainly desirable. The animals should be placed in large 

 cages, the natural conditions of existence being preserved as 

 nearly as possible ; and, as pointed out by Dr. Hess, it is 

 important that the insects should be properly supplied with food 

 in order that the contest may have a normal termination. 



* H. Reeker, ' Zur Lebensweise der Afterskorpione,' Jahresbericht des 

 Westfalischen Provinzial-Vereins fur Wissenschaft u. Kunst, 1894, pp. 103-8. 



Naturalist, 



