b PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS: 



no snare for the capture of their prey, but crawl up to it stealthily, 

 and capture it by a sudden spring. 



Salticus scenicus is common everywhere in Britain on walls, 

 trees, palings, etc. ; another British species, Salticus formicarius 

 closely resembles an ant. The Lycosidce (see Fig. 2), or wolf 

 spiders, are also wandering spiders, catching their prey by running 

 It down. Some of the American species are very large, and all 

 are remarkable for ferocity ; some, as our common Lycosa ptraiica, 

 run on the surface of water and catch insects. The Tarantula 

 {Lycosa tara?itula), of Southern Europe, has acquired an evil repu- 

 tation, its bite being supposed to induce delirium and madness, 

 The Thofnisidce, or crab spiders, are so called from their short 

 body and long crab-like fore-legs, as well as from their habit of 

 running sideways; they are small spiders, numerous and widely 

 distributed, concealing themselves usually in herbage and flowers 

 (see Figs. 3 and 4). 



The British species are numerous. The Tegenariidce, or 

 TubitelcB, form a very large family, the members of which weave a 

 large web with a tubular portion, which serves as a hiding-place. 



The common house spider {Tege?iaria domestica) belongs to 

 this group, and also the water spider {Argyroneta aquatica), which 

 constructs its nest beneath the surface of the water. The family 

 Theridiidce is most numerous in the temperate parts of the Old 

 World. The species construct irregular webs in which to catch 

 their prey. The bite of one of the species, the Malmignatie 

 ( Latrodedus Malmignattus ), common in the south of Europe, 

 especially in Corsica, produces serious and even fatal effects in 

 human beings. 



The JipeirtdcB, or geometric spiders, construct beautiful, regu- 

 lar circular webs, with threads radiating from the centre and con- 

 nected by cross-threads. The typical genus Epeira contains the 

 common garden spider {Epeira diadefna) (see Fig. 5). In tropi- 

 cal America are several curious spiders of allied genera, which 

 have the abdomen more or less horny, and produced into spines 

 or long processes. 



The harvest spiders, or harvest men, belong to a distinct order, 

 Phalangid(e. 



In conclusion, it may be stated, this is solely natural history. 



