CLASSIFICATION 391 



described almost all belong to the northern hemisphere. Five 

 are natives of Europe, and two are included in the English fauna. 

 The best known is Atypus affinis, which has been found in several 

 localities in the south of England, and 

 which has occurred on the Devil's Dyke, 

 near Cambridge. The female measures 

 about half an inch in length, the male 

 being smaller. It burrows a deep cylin- 

 drical hole at the edge of a grassy or 

 heathery bank and lines it w^th a loose 

 tulje of silk, which extends considerably 

 beyond the orifice of the burrow, either 

 lying flat on the ground, or raised up 

 and attached to the neighbouring herbage, yig. 2Q^.-Atypus affmis, 9 . 

 There is no lid, but the upper end of the 



tube is always found closed, whether by its elasticity or by the 

 deliberate operation of the spider is not known. The animal 

 is nocturnal in its habits. Another species, A. heckii, occurs very 

 rarely in the south of England. 



The genus Atypus has representatives in Central and South 

 Europe, North Africa, Japan, Java, and North America. Of the 

 other genera, Calommata inhabits Central and South-East Asia 

 and Japan, BrachyhothriuriL, Atypoides, and Hexura are peculiar 

 to North America, while Mecicohothrium comprises a single species 

 {M. thoreUi) native to the Argentine.^ 



Fam. 4. Filistatidae.- — Crihdlate Spiders of moderate size, 

 usually hrown or yellov) in colour, with smooth integuments and 

 somewhat long tapering legs. The eight eyes are compactly 

 arranged, and the paliml organs of the male are of simple struc- 

 ture. The six sjnnnerets are sliort, the anterior pair heing thick 

 and separated. Two pulmonary sacs, ivith two minute tracheal 

 stigmata close heJiind them and ividely separate. 



There is but one genus, Filistata, in this family. About 

 fifteen species have been described, five of which inhabit the 

 Mediterranean region. Three are found in America, and others 

 inhabit Central Asia, the Philippines, and Australia. The genus 



' The three families mentioned above constitute the " Araneae Therapliosae " of 

 Simon, the remaining families being distingnishetl as "Araneae A^erae." The 

 Aviculariidae and the Atypidae are united by some authors to form the Thera- 

 phosidae. 



