XV ATTIDAE 42 1 



seen hunting on walls and fences during the summer. Marpissa 

 muscosa is the largest English species, measuring about half an 

 inch. It has a brownish-yellow coloration, and is found, though 

 not commonly, in similar situations. Attus 2^u'bescens affects grey 

 stone walls, on which it is nearly invisible except when moving. 

 The other British species are mostly to be found on trees and 

 shrubs or among herbage, or hunting over bare sandy spots in 

 the sunshine. A few (^Marpissa pomatia, Hyctia nivoyi) are fen 

 species. Hasarivs falcatus is a handsome spider, common in 

 woods in some localities. 



The species differ much in their jumping powers ; the Mar- 

 pissas, for example, are not great leapers, but the little Attus 

 saltator, found on sandhills, jumps like a flea, and the North 

 American species Saitis pulex has a suggestive specific name. 



Again, in this family there are mimetic forms resembling 

 ants. Myrmarachne formicaria (Salticus formicarius) is found 

 very rarely in England, but is not uncommon on the Continent. 



Synageles and Synemosyna are allied genera. Fhidipj^iis is a 

 genus well represented in America, and Fh. morsitans has already 

 been mentioned (p. 365) in connexion with its poisonous re- 

 putation. Astia and Icius have American representatives (see 

 pp. 381, 382), though the type species belongs to the Old World. 



