99 



at tip ; eyes eight, equal, in two roivs, anterior one composed of 

 four eyes in a straight line, posterior one longer, curved towards 

 the base ; feet, fourth pair longest, then the first, the other two 

 nearly equal. 



Hibits. Araneides sedentary, miking in obscure corners an 

 horizontal web, at the upper part of which is a tubular liabita- 

 tion where the spider remains motionless till some insect be 

 entano-led in the threads. 



Remarks. The distinction first pi'oposed by Latreille be- 

 tween this and the Agelena of Walckenaer should be pre- 

 served. The habits of the spider differ considerably, and the 

 position of the eyes is so different as to point out the necessity 

 of a separation, I would have preserved the name Aranea to 

 this division; but confused ideas would arise from attributino- 

 to a sub-genus the name, which, though leo;itimate, belongs 

 more propei'ly to the whole flimily of spiders. 



These make webs of slender texture in dark places without 

 the addition of the strono; cross threads which Ao-elena adds to 

 the horizontal texture. It is only at night that they can be 

 seen at work in the construction of their Avebs. 



1. Tegsnaria medicinalis. 



Journal of the Acad, of Nat. Sji. Pliilad., 11, p. 53, pi. v, fig. 1. 

 PL 11, fig. 21. 



Description. Pale brown ; turning to bluish black ; cephalo- 

 thorax with a blackish bund on each side ; abdomen varied 

 with black, or plumbeous and brown ; feet varied with blackish. 



Observations. This species, which was described by the 

 author in the Journal quoted above, is found in every cellar or 

 dark place in the country. For some time the use of its web 

 [463] as a narcotic in cases of fever, was recommended by 

 many physicians in this country ; but now it is probably seldom 

 used. The author being absent from Philadelphia when the 

 second volume of the Journal was published, a strange mistake 

 was committed. The publishers caused a delineation of my 



