294 Mr. A. Adams on the Habits of certain Exotic Spiders. 



actively about among the dry dead leaves that strewed the ground, 

 and some handsomely-coloured species were discovered crouching 

 among the foliage of the trees. One was marked like the T. Sisy- 

 phus of Hahn (tab. 58. fig. 132), and another large-sized species 

 was of a bright emerald green. The Attus formicoides, Walcke- 

 naer, or an allied species, was basking on the dead leaves in the 

 sunny spots ; and numerous pretty species of Salticus, allied to 

 S. crux (Hahn, tab. 17. fig. 52), but of much larger dimensions, 

 were common spiders. A species of Attus, allied to formicoides, 

 which may be called splendens, was taken here : it was of a bril- 

 liant metallic green gold with the under surface fine metallic 

 purple ; the legs banded with light brown and burnished green. 

 It was springing about the foliage of the low trees. 



Another Attus was of a shining black, with several bright ul- 

 tramarine spots on the abdomen, and light brown legs banded 

 with darker brown. Numbers of black-coloured Theridia were 

 running about over the dead leaves, simulating, at a little distance, 

 so many odd-shaped ants : numerous other species of this genus, 

 which were seen living among the flowers and foliage of the trees, 

 had their abdomens variegated with beautiful colours. One spe- 

 cies, with a hairy body and legs, and shining chestnut- coloured 

 chelicera, runs quickly when pursued, and uses those organs in 

 self-defence. Its body is of a dark olive-brown, and it appears 

 to love dark nooks and holes of the bark of trees, and frequently 

 hangs suspended from the under surface of the leaves. 



I observed another species, which knew it was watched, place 

 itself upon a diseased leaf, where it remained quite stationary 

 until after I had taken my departure ; and had I not seen the 

 sidelong movement of the cunning little creature in the first in- 

 stance, I should not have been able to distinguish its body from 

 the eroded surface of the partially decayed leaf. Those that live 

 among the foliage and flowers are vividly coloured, and many flies 

 and other insects are no doubt attracted towards the treacherous 

 forms of these spiders by reason of their bright and gaudily- 

 tinted bodies. I have seen the abdomen of one marked with 

 black, yellow and crimson, three powerfully-contrasted colours. 

 Others are green and actually reticulated like the veined surface 

 of a leaf, with the midrib running down the centre and the secon- 

 dary nervures proceeding outwards from each side ; the bodies of 

 others resemble the splendid variegated blossoms of the different 

 sorts of Calceolarias grown in our gardens. 



Several timid, soft, retiring, long-legged Pholci, with fawn- 

 coloured bodies and semitransparent red-brown legs covered with 

 long hairs, formed in many parts large loose webs among the 

 rotten wood and leaves that strewed the ground. The legs of 

 these Arachnidans appear too weak to support their bodies in 



