214 



Kew : Lincolnshire Psendoscorpions. 



leg by closure of the pincer of one of the pedipalps ; their 

 legs, body, and the remaining- pedipalp and pincer being- free. 

 House-flies are observed on the wing carrying; the creatures 

 from place to place, or walking- with them on windows, etc. 

 Other encumbered Diptera are seen in gardens, waste-places, 

 etc.; certain small kinds occurring- on decaying vegetable matter 

 are specially liable to be attacked ; and great Tipulids do not 

 escape. Many infested flies sometimes occur in the same house 

 or about the same rubbish-heap; and not infrequently more than 

 one Chelifer hangs to the same fly. Individuals have been seen 

 carrying two, three, four, five, six, and even eight or ten ; and 

 one had four on a single leg. Some Chelifers live in bees'-, 

 ants'-, and termites'-nests ; and in South Africa one has been 

 seen hanging to legs of hive-bees. One has been found fossil in 

 amber, in Europe, still on the leg of an ichneumon. In an 

 Austrian grotto, a Chernes occurs on a Locustid ; while in 

 Germany and England others have been seen on legs of False- 

 Spiders {Phalangiurn). The creatures also occur under the 

 elyta of large beetles. They have thus been seen, singly or 

 in numbers, in North and South America, in Australia, and in 

 the Malay Archipelago. In all these associations it is probable 

 that the creatures pertain mainly to Chernes. Those found on 

 beetles are presumably parasitic. Those on legs of flies, etc., 

 have been supposed to have the same character ; but the mean- 

 ing of the phenomena has long been doubtful. When annoyed 

 with a camel's-hair brush, a Chelifer will seize it, and allow 

 itself to be carried away ; . and, as they are pugnacious, and 

 accustomed to use the pedipalps for attack and defence, the 

 attachment may be accidental. The attached creatures may 

 be carried to considerable distances, for they often hold on 

 tenaciously for a long time. In captivity one maintained its 

 position for fifty-six hours ; and they will not always let go 

 when stupefied with ether or plunged into alcohol. We have 

 here, certainly, a means of dispersal — for which an accidental 

 i circumstance might possibly have been converted into a special 

 instinct. Moniez maintains that the creatures seize the legs 

 intentionally for the purpose of obtaining a ride ; but, from 

 various facts, it seems probable that they have another purpose 

 — and that the usefulness of the habit for dispersal is largely 

 incidental. Most Pseudoscorpions feed on minute insects, which 

 they seize with the pincers. Very small flies," whose legs are 

 seized, are at once overcome. Larger ones lift the assailants 

 from their feet, and carry them away. It is odd that large 



Naturalist. 



