256 Mr. J. Blackwall on the Structure, Functions, (Economy, 



XXIII. — A Catalogue of British Spiders, including remarks on 

 their Structure, Functions, (Economy, and Systematic Arrange- 

 ment. By John Blackwall, F.L.S. 



Since the publication of the excellent 'Tractatus de Araneis' of 

 Dr. Lister, comprised in his ' Historia Animalium Anglise/ little 

 has been effected by British naturalists to extend our acquaint- 

 ance with the animals constituting the order Araneidea. In pal- 

 liation of this negligence it may be urged that the subject is 

 beset by numerous and great difficulties, and that such is the 

 case cannot be denied ; but let it be borne in mind that formi- 

 dable as these obstacles are, they have not deterred distinguished 

 cultivators of natural science in France, Sweden, and Germany 

 from bestowing much time and attention upon this highly inter- 

 esting department of zoology, and that their arduous labom-s 

 have been rewarded by well-merited success. 



Anxious to induce some of the zealous and intelligent investi- 

 gators of nature among my countrymen to assist in removing 

 this occasion of reproach, I have arranged all our indigenous 

 spiders, hitherto recorded, in the form of a systematic catalogue, 

 and have also cited the synonyma of several arachnologists of 

 eminence, together with the titles of the works in which they 

 occur. The utility of an undertaking of this kind mainly de- 

 pends upon the accuracy of its details ; but when descriptions of 

 species in different languages have to be consulted, and that, in 

 numerous instances, without the aid to be derived from the in- 

 spection of recent specimens or of carefully drawn and coloured 

 figures, exemption from error is not to be expected. 



In drawing up the catalogue, which I now submit to the can- 

 did consideration of zoologists, I have used my best endeavours 

 to render it as complete as the limited means at my command 

 would permit ; and I trust that it will be found to contribute in 

 some measure to promote the knowledge and facilitate the study 

 of our native spiders. 



Class ARACHNID A. Order ARANEIDEA. 



Tribe Octonoculina. 

 Family Mygalidce. 

 Genus Atypus, Latreille. 

 1. Atypus Sulzeri. 

 Atypus Sulzeri, Latreille, Genera Crustaceorum et Insectorum, 

 torn. i. p. 85. tab. 5. fig. 2 ; Hahn, Die Arachniden, Band i. 

 p. 117. tab. 31. fig. 88. 

 Oletera atypa, Walckenaer, Histoire Naturelle des Insectes Apteres, 

 tome i. p. 243. pi. 1. fig. 5. 



picea, Koch, Uebersicht des Arachnidensystems, erstes Heft, 



p. 3.5. 



