300 Mr. J. Blackwall on the Structure, Functions, (Economy, 



from the family Ciniflonidce, which I have founded upon those 

 characters, without doing violence to the recognised principles of 

 classification. 



Ergatis benigna fabricates an irregular web of whitish silk at 

 the extremity of the twigs of heath and gorse growing in various 

 parts of England and Wales. It pairs in May, and in that and 

 the succeeding month the female constructs two or three conti- 

 guous, lenticular, white cocoons of a compact texture, measuring 

 about ^th of an inch in diameter, on an average, which she at- 

 taches to the stems surrounded by her web, enveloping them with 

 the refuse of her prey. Each cocoon contains from 10 to 30 

 spherical eggs of a pale yellow colour, which do not adhere 

 together. 



70. Ergatis latens. 



Ergatis latens, Blackw. Linn. Trans, vol. xviii. p. 608 ; vol. xix. 



p. 117. 

 Dictyna latens, Koch, Die Arachn. B. iii. p. 29. tab. 83. fig. 186. 

 Theridion latens, Walck. Hist. Nat. des Insect. Apt. t. ii. p. 340. 

 Titulus 16, Lister, Hist. Animal. Angl. De Aran. p. 56. tab. 1. fig. 16. 



This species is found in the same localities as Ergatis benigna, 

 which it resembles in habits and ceconomy. The sexes pair in 

 June, and in the following month the female constructs several 

 contiguous lenticular cocoons of greenish white silk of a compact 

 texture, measuring about ^th of an inch in diameter, on an 

 average; these she attaches to a stem of gorse or heath sur- 

 rounded by her web, distributing about them the refuse of her 

 prey; each contains from 10 to 16 spherical eggs of a yellow 

 colour, which are not adherent among themselves. 



The statement of M. Walckenaer that this spider has the 

 fourth pair of legs longer than the second (Hist. Nat. des Insect. 

 Apt. t. iv. p. 501) requires correction, as the relative length of 

 its organs of locomotion does not differ from that of its congener 

 Ergatis benigna. 



Family Agelenidce. 



Genus Agelena, Walck. 



71. Agelena labyrinthica. 

 Agelena labyrinthica, Walck. Hist. Nat. des Insect. Apt. t. ii. p. 20 ; 



Sund. Vet. Acad. Handl. 1831, p. 129; Hahn, Die Arachn. B. ii. 



p. 61. tab. 65. fig. 150, 151 ; Koch, Uebers. des Arachn. Syst. 



erstes Heft, p. 14. 

 Aranea labyrinthica, Latr. Gen. Crust, et Insect, torn. i. p. 95. 

 Titulus 18, Lister, Hist. Animal. Angl. De Aran. p. 60. t. l.fig. 18. 

 In localities suited to its habits, this active spider is frequently 

 very numerous, constructing among gorse, heath, and coarse 

 herbage an extensive horizontal sheet of web, having a cylin- 



