404 Mr. R. H. Meade on the British species 0/ Phalangiidse. 



Body and limbs all of a yellowish -brown colour, the under sur- 

 face of the body, palpi, falces, and bases of the legs being paler 

 than the rest. 



This species, which is found very commonly upon walls in the 

 autumn, is the true Phalangium opilio of Linnaeus. I have 

 however adopted the specific name of parietinum, first given by 

 DeGeer, in consequence of using the word Opilio in a generic 

 sense, in imitation of Herbst, Koch, and Leach. P. parietinum 

 does not appear to have been known at all to Latreille ; he con- 

 founded the female of P. cornutum with it, and finding the 

 males and females of the latter in union, jumped to the con- 

 clusion that the P. cornutum and P. opilio of Linnaeus were only 

 the male and female of the same species. Most authors have 

 fallen into the same or into equally great errors, and until the 

 publication of Koch's figures and descriptions in 1847, the 

 greatest confusion existed respecting these two common species. 

 As noticed by Mr. Tulk, they are mostly found in different loca- 

 lities ; the cornutum living in rural or suburban situations, be- 

 neath stones, or among dry herbage, while the parietinum is sel- 

 dom seen except upon the walls of buildings. 



4. Phalangium canescens, Koch. 



Foem, cana. Vitta angulata dorsalis cinerea, linea central i pal- 

 lida et punctis albidis instructa. Palpi 3*"^ articulis valde 

 angulatis. 



Long. 2 lin. 



Opilio canescens, Koch, Die Arach. B. xvi. p. 28. pi. 549. f. 1 522. 



In general form and design this small species bears consider- 

 able resemblance to the female of P. cornutum ; it differs from 

 it however in not being above half the size, and in having the 

 surface of the cephalothorax, as well as the falces and legs, nearly 

 free from tubercles and spines. The sides of the cephalothorax 

 are rather elevated. The eye-eminence is nearly semicircular, of 

 a moderate size, and furnished with a small but sharp crest. 



The colour is whitish-gray, with a dark angular dorsal band, 

 which is sprinkled with white spots, and intersected with a longi- 

 tudinal central white streak. The palpi are moderately long, and 

 the third joint has a strongly projecting internal angle ; they 

 are of a whitish colour, striped above with brown ; they are also 

 covered with thinly scattered black hairs, and have dark extre- 

 mities. The legs are rather short, of a yellowish colour, slightly 

 marked with brown, and have the extremities of the tarsi dark. 



The male is unknown. 



This species is generally distributed, but not very common. 



