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Show 208 ARACIIN'lDES. GALEODEs, Oliv.-Solpuga, Licht., Fab. Two very large chelicerre, with strongly dentated vertical fingers, one superior, fixed, and fr·equently furnished at its base with a slender, elongated, pointed appendage( 1 ), and the other movable; large pro. jecting palpi in the form of feet or antennre, terminated by a shor~ vesicular joint, resembling a button without a terminal hook; the two anterior feet of an almost similar figure, equally unarmed, but smaller; the others terminated by a tarsus, the last joint of which is furnished at the end with two little pellets, and two long toes termi. natcd by a hook; five semi-infundibuliform pediculated scales on each posterior leg, arranged in one series along their first joints; and two eyes closely approximated on an eminence anterior to the first thoracic segment, which represents a large head bearing the two anterior feet, as well as the parts of the mouth. Their body is oblong, generally soft, and bristled with long hairs. The last joint of the palpi, according to M. Dufour, contains a par· ticular organ formed like a disk, of a nacre-white, and which never protrudes unless the animal is irritated. The two anterior feet may be considered as second pal pi. The labrum has the form of a little, stl·ongly compressed, recurved rostrum, pointed and hairy at the end. The ligula is small, shaped like a keel, and is terminated by two divergent, bearded setre, each posted on a little joint. The other pairs of legs are annexed to as many segments. I have perceived a large stigma on each side of the body, between the first and second pair of legs, as well as a slit at the base of the inferior par·t of the abdomen. The abdomen is oval, and composed of nine annuli. It is supposed that the ancients designated these animals by the names of Pltalangium, Solifuga, Tetragnatha, &c. M. Poe disco· vered a species in the environs of Havana, but the others are pecu· liar to the hot and sandy countries of the eastern continent(2). They run with great celerity, erect their head when surprised, and show signs of resistance; they are considered venomous( 3 ). ( 1) I do not think it is peculiar to either sex. (2) Our author does not seem aware of the fact that two species of this genus have been discovered by Mr Say near the Rocky Mountains: they are, 1. Gal. pal· lipeJJ, Say. Hairy; chelicera: horizontal; fingers arcuated; abdomen sub-depresse~ livid. 2. Gal. ,,ubulata, Id. Hairy; chelicera: horizontal; thumb nearly rectilinear and destitute of teeth; resembles the pallipes in form, size, and colour, but the superior finger of the chelicera: is unarmed u.nd rectilineat·, and the inferior arcu· ated with about two stout teeth. Long'a Expedition, II, p. 3. .flm. Ed. (3) Solpuga fatalis, Fab.; Herbst., Monog., Solp. 1, i, Bengal;-8. c!telicorni&, TRA CliJo~A. RllE. 209 CuELIFER, Geoff.-Obisium, Illig. The palpi elongated, in the form of an arm, with a hand terminated b a didactyle forceps; all the legs equal, terminated by two hook!i; t:eeyes placed on the sides of the thor.ax. . . These animals resemble small Scorp10ns destttute of a tatl. Their body is flattened, and the thorax nearly square, with one or two eyes on each side. They run swiftly, and frequently retrograde or move sideways like Crabs. Rresel saw one female lay her eggs and collect them into a heap. Hermann, Sen. says that she carries them under her abdomen, united in a pellet. He is even of the opinion that these Arachnides can spin. Hermann, Jun.-Mem. Apter.-divides this genus into two sec-tions. . In some-Chelifer, Leach-the first segment of the trunk or thorax is divided by an impressed transverse line; the tarsi consist of a single joint; there is a kind of stylet at the extremity of the movable finger of the chelicerre, and the hairs of the body are shaped like a spatula. Cit. cancroides; Phalangium cancroides, L.; Scorpio cancroidea, Fab.; Rres., Insect. III, Supp. LXIV, vulgo Book-Scorpion. Found in herbaria, old books, &c., where it feeds on the sm~ll insects thnt destroy them. Ch. cimicoides; Scorpio cimicoides, Fab.; Herm., Mem. Apter., VII, 9. Inhabits under bat·k of trees, stones, &c. In others:_Obisium, Leach-the thorax is entire, the chelicerre are destitute of a stylet, and the hairs on the body are setaceous( 1 )· A more important character however is found in the number of eyes. In Obisium it is four, and but two in Chelifer properly so called(2). Fab.; Herbst. lb.; II, 1;-Plwlangium araneoidu, Pall., Spicil. Zool., fascic. IX, iii, 7, 8, 9. See also the Monog. of this genus by Herbst., and the Voy. of~allas and Olivier. {1) Herro., Mem. Apter., V, 6; VI, 14. (2) See Leach, Monog. of the Scorpions, Zool. Miscell. III, tab. 141, 142; and a memoir on the Insects found in copal by M. l)alman, where he describes and figures a species under the name of eucarpus, and mentions several others. VoL. III. -2 B |