and Systematic Arrangement of British Sjiideis. 449 



Thomisus viaticus, Hahn, Die Arachn. B. i. p. 35. tab. 10. fig. 29. 



ulmi, Hahn, Die Arachn. B. i. p. 38. tab. 10. fig. 30. 



lateralis, Hahn, Die Arachn. B. i. p. 40. tab. 10. fig. 31. 



Xysticus mordax, Koch, Uebers. des Arachn. Syst. erstes Heft, 



p. 2.5. 

 viaticus, Koch, Uebers. des Arachn. Syst. erstes Heft, p. 25 ; 



Die Arachn. B. xii. p. 70. tab. 412. fig. 1003, 1004. 

 ulmi, Koch, Uebers. des Arachn. Syst. erstes Heft, p. 25. 



The varieties of Thomisus cristatus are very numerous^ and. 

 many of them have been mistaken for distinct species. This 

 common spider occurs on the ground and among the herbage of 

 old pastures ; in form and gait it bears some similitude to a small 

 crabj moving in a lateral direction almost with as great facility 

 as it does forwards ; it is remarkable also for its propensity to 

 take aerial excursions, particularly when immature. In July the 

 female constructs a lenticular cocoon of white silk of a compact 

 texture, measuring about ^rd of an inch in diameter, which is 

 frequently attached to the inferior surface of a stone or fragment 

 of rock ; it contains between 80 and 90 spherical eggs of a pale 

 yellowish white colour, not agglutinated together. 



A young female of this species, captured in July 1835, had the 

 two lateral pairs of eyes only; the four small intermediate eyes 

 were altogether wanting, not the slightest rudiment of them 

 being perceptible even with the aid of a powerful magnifier. 



33. Thomisus erraticus. 



Tho7nisus erraticus, Blackw. Research, in Zool. p. 408, 



This spider may be seen in summer running on foot-paths in 

 North Wales and Lancashire, but it is not a common species. 

 In June the female constructs a lenticular cocoon of compact 

 white silk measuring |th of an inch in diameter ; it is commonly 

 attached to the under side of withered leaves, and contains about 

 43 spherical eggs of a pale yellow colom-, not agglutinated 



together. 



34. Thomisus atomarius. 



Thomisus atomarius, "Walck. Hist. Nat. des Insect. Apt. t. i. p. 523. 



lynceus, Latr. Gen. Crust, et Insect, torn. i. p. 112. 



similis, Wider, Museum Senckenberg, B. i. p. 275. taf. 18. 



fig. 8. 



As the Thomisus h/nceus of Latreille, which INI. Walckenaer 

 regards as identical with Thomisus atomarius, is stated by Dr. 

 Leach to inhabit Scotland (Supplement to the 4th, 5th and 6th 

 editions of the ' Encyclopaedia Britannica,' article Annulosa), it 

 is entitled to a place among British spiders. 



Ann. Ss Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 3. F«/. vii. .29 



