140 . RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



Ariiaurobius is one of those genera that have a wide geographical 

 range. It is as follows: — "Europa et regio ni ed iter ran ea; Sibiria; 

 Malaisia; ins. AtnVjoina; Nova-HoUandia et Nova-Zealandia; Poly- 

 nesia; America septentr.; America merid. (prtesertira in montibus): 

 Colombia, Uruguay, et Chili.'- Badumna, Thor., occurs in Malaisia 

 (Java) et Nova-HoUandia;'' and Latliys, E. Sim., "Europa et 

 regio mediterranea; insulse. Maderfe et Canarite; Nova-Hollandia; 

 Sibiria orient.; America septr."'^ 



The Spiders of the three genera here quoted may be sought for 

 upon shrubs or trees (sometimes under bark), under stones or 

 dead leaves, and other forest debris, fissures of rocks, the interior 

 of caves, the outer and inner walls of buildings. The webs are 

 frequently large, consisting of indefinite rays or irregular lines of 

 strong silk, produced by the ordinary spinnerets, and the flocculent 

 cobweb voided by the cribellum. Sometimes a rude tubular retreat 

 is made, wherein the Spider patiently rests until the vibration of 

 the web announces the capture of some unwary insect. By gently 

 agitating one of these snares with a bit of straw, or stiff grass, the 

 Spider may frequently be enticed out, but upon discovering its 

 mistake, will quickly betake itself to its den. Some species are 

 exceedingly courageous, attacking not only large but exceedingly 

 aggressive insects, such as wasps. The cocoons of such species as 

 occur upon plants are lenticular, and securely attached to the 

 web by numerous threads ; in respect of those living under bark 

 the ova sac is flat, round, cushion-like, and composed of two discs, 

 an upper and a lower. The outer covering of the cocoons is 

 usually white, and exceedingly tough, thus affording admirable pro- 

 tection to the enclosed eggs. Sometimes, however, the walls of 

 cocoons of these and other Spiders are pierced by some minute 

 species of Ichneumonidse, with the result that when the eggs of 

 the latter hatch out, the Hymenopterous larvae feed upon the 

 Arachnid ova. 



Family PILISTATID^. 



This family, although composed of only one genus, Filistata, 

 Latr., is widely distributed, its range being: — "Regio mediter- 

 ranea; ins. Atlanticse; Africa occid. et orient.; Arabia merid.; 

 Asia centr. ; ins. Nikobarica? ; ins. Philippinai ; Nova-Hollandia; 

 America septentr., centr., et merid.; Antilliae.'"^ 



One species only of this genus occurs in Australia, namely, 

 Filistata australis, L. K.; and this was originally recorded from 

 Rockhampton, but without, however, any note in reference to its 

 architecture. The snares fabricated by those species that have 



, 12 Simon— Hist. Nat. Araigneos (2nd. edit.), i., 1892, p. 238. 

 13 Simon— rXoc. cit., p. 238. 

 1* Simon — Loc. cit., p. 240. 

 15 Simon — Loc. cit., p. 258. 



