and Systematic Arrangement of British Spiders. 183 



In a catalogue of spiders, published in the ' Transactions of 

 the Linnsean Society/ vol. xix. p. 113, this species is included 

 under the name of Ejj'e'ira agalena ; the mistake originated in 

 copying the appellation from M. Hahn^s work, ' Die Arachniden,' 

 where it is connected with a figure and description of Epeira 

 solers. 



The sexes pair in June, and in that and the succeeding month 

 the female fabricates a subglobose cocoon of yellowish brown silk 

 of a loose texture, about ^ an inch in diameter, and deposits in 

 it 140 or 150 dark brown spherical eggs, agglutinated together 

 in a globular form. 



This spider occurs, but not abundantly, in pastures near 

 Llanrwst, spinning among coarse plants and low bushes a net of 

 moderate extent, between the centre of which and a slightly con- 

 cave cell of white silk, constructed at a short distance from it, a 

 communication is established by means of a strong line; con- 

 cealed in this retreat, the vibrations of the connecting medium 

 speedily convey intelligence to the watchful owner of the snare 

 that a victim is involved in its meshes. 



189. Epeira similis. 

 Epeira similis^ Blackv^. Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. vol. xiii. p. 186. 



The first specimen of Epeira similis which I had an opportu- 

 nity of inspecting was an adult male taken at East Lodge, En- 

 field, and obligingly forwarded to me by Miss Gertrude Buller 

 Elphinstone. I have since received specimens from Hampshire ; 

 and a collection of living spiders, transmitted to me in September 

 1843 from Ellesmere, in Shropshire, by Miss Margaret B. Lewis 

 of Cichle, Anglesey, contained a young male of this species, 

 which, as the digital joints of its palpi were very tumid, had to 

 undergo its final change of integument before it arrived at ma- 

 turity. 



Epeira similis and Epeira calophylla are very closely allied; 

 but the males may be distinguished from each other without dif- 

 ficulty by differences in the structure of their palpi and palpal 

 organs. 



190. Epeira calophylla. 



Epeira calophylla, Walck. Hist. Nat. des Insect. Apt. t. ii. p. 70 ; 



Latr. Gen. Crust, et Insect, tom. i. p. 108 ; Sund. Vet. Acad. 



Handl. 1832, p. 252. 

 Zilla calophylla, Koch, Die Arachn. B. vi. p. 148. tab. 216. fig. 538, 



539. 

 Eucharia atrica, Koch, Die Arachn. B. xii. p. 103. tab. 419. 



fig. 1030, 1031. 

 Titulus 10, Lister, Hist. Animal. Angl. De Aran. p. 47. tab. 1. fig. 10. 



