CLASS III. AEACHNO'lDA. 125 



by communicating with the threads of the large net, both gives her 

 intelligence when any thing touches the web, and enables her to pass 

 quickly in order to seize it. 



Genus 12. AGELENA. Walckemier, Leach. 



Maxilla straight and longitudinal, their internal angle slightly trun- 

 cate ; diameters equal, apex rounded : Up not longer than broad, to- 

 wards the superior angle a little narrower : legs moderately long, the 

 anterior and fourth pairs of nearly equal length, the third pair 

 shortest : eyes disposed in two transverse lines near to each other, 

 and bent backwards. 



Sp. 1. Ag. labi/rinthica. Griseous pale-reddish : thorax on each side 

 with a blackish longitudinal line : abdomen black, above and on 

 each side with wliite oblique lines forming obtuse angles, running 

 together anteriorly in pairs; the weaving appendices or nipples 

 conic, elongate. 



Inhabits the fiekb. It is very common in most parts of Europe during 

 the summer months. In Britain it is most abundant in the au- 

 tumn. It spins a horizontal web on the grovmd, in which it watches 

 for its prey, consisting of Hies and other dipterous insects. The 

 spider itself lives in a funnel-shaped cavity, oi'ten extending below 

 the surface of the ground. 



Genus 13. ARGYRONETA. Latreille, Wakkemcr, Leach. 



MaxHlce short, straight, elongate quadrate, the sides of nearly equal 

 diameters ; anteriorly convex ; the apex rounded : Up short, shoKter 

 than the maxilla-; of a narrow elongate-triangular form; the ante- 

 rior aspect convex ; the aitex obtuse or trinicalc : legs, the first, the 

 fourth pair longest; the second pair shortest: eyes with the four 

 middle ones forming a quadrangle, the two on each side set obliquely 

 and subgeminated. 



S]i. 1. Arg. aquatica. Blackish-brown: abdomen black velvety, with 

 some impressed dots on its back. 



Aranea aquatica. Linn., Fabr. Argyroneta aquatica. Latr., Wulck., 

 Leach. 



Inhabits Europe, frequenting slow nmning waters and ditches, spin- 

 ning a web most beautiful^ constructed under the water, in which 

 it lives, being surrounded with air, which shines through the water 

 with a silvery lustre. The eggs are deposited in a globose silky 

 bag. It is extremely conurion in most of the ditches round Lon- 

 don, and may be observed, especially in the beginning of the sum- 

 mer, building its nest beneath the water, or running along the lines 

 by which it is suspended. 



Srinps '?.. — Legs simjde: hinder eyci not placed on the anterior and 

 superior of ihe thorax, nor forming an iMe\^iiKu ln.\.igou ; /tipples 



