EPEIRA EPHEDRA. 



437 



As already stated in the articles Arachnida and 

 Aptera, the different species of spiders were placed by 

 Linnaeus in the genus Aranea, constituting the Sth of 

 the order Aptera. These insects having, with some 

 genera of less importance, been raised by modern 

 naturalists into a class of equal rank with the crus- 

 tracea and true insects, the Linnsean genus Aranea 

 may now be considered as equivalent to an order, to 

 which Latreille gave the name of Fileiises or Spinners, 

 Macleay that of Araneidce, and Leach that of Dime- 

 rosonuita. The name of Aranea has not, however, been 

 dropped, but has been employed to denominate the 

 modern genus, consisting of the domestic spider 

 Aranea domestica of Linneeus, and which may be re- 

 garded as the type of a group of genera to which we 

 have applied the family name of Arancirlce, corre- 

 sponding with the Araignees sedentaires tubitiles of 

 Latreille, or those species of spiders which spin 

 irregular webs, having a cylindric cell in one corner 

 in which the inhabitant lurks for its prey. The spin- 

 nerets are cylindric, placed close together in a star 

 and directed backwards, the legs are strong, the first 

 or t!.e last pair being the longest in some, whilst in 

 others the legs are of nearly equal length. This 

 family comprises the genera ClotJio, Walckenaer ; 

 Drassus, Walckenaer ; Scgcstria, Latreille ; Clubiona, 

 Latreille; Aranea, Latreille; (Tegenaria, Walcke- 

 naer ;) Agelena, Walckenaer ; Ryssiis, Walckenaer. 

 Latreille has also introduced the water spider, Argyro- 

 neta, into this group ; but the Baron Walckenaer has 

 formed it into a distinct family, which he terms 

 Naiades, or Aquatiles. 



The other groups of spiders may be arranged as 

 follows : 



Section 1. Tetrapneumones, or those which have four 

 pulmonary sacs and four external spiracles 

 on the under side of the abdomen, (two 

 on each side placed closely together,) 

 and comprising the families of Mygalidce 

 (the gigantic bird spiders, as they have 

 been erroneously termed, of tropical 

 countries,) Ahjpidcc and Dysderidce. (See 

 ATYPUS and DYSDERA.) 



Section 2. Dipneuwones, or those which have only 

 two pulmonary sacs and two external 

 spiracles, comprising the majority of the 

 order, and divisible according to the man- 

 ner of conduction of the web into the 

 families AraneidcB described above ; Tlie- 

 ridionidae, comprising sedentary species 

 which make an irregular web without 

 any tubular retreat ; Epeiridce (described 

 below) ; Thomisid<s, hunting spiders pos- 

 sessing the power of walking sideways ; 

 Lycosiclce, wandering spiders catching 

 their prey whilst walking about, and not 

 making a web, except for the reception of 

 the egg ; and lastly the So/riewte, differing 

 from the latter in the agility with which 

 they leap upon their prey from a con- 

 siderable distance. 



The family of the Epciridcc, or the Araignees seckn- 

 laircs orbtieles of Latreille, make their Avebs in a 

 regular net, composed of a series of concentric 

 circles, crossed by straight lines diverging at equal 

 distances from the centre, where they in general 

 station themselves head downwards. Some species 

 hide themselves in a hole which they have formed 

 near the edge of the web, which hole is either 



horizontal or perpendicular. The eggs are "glued 

 together and concealed in a large silken cocoon. The 

 spinnerets are somewhat conical, convergent, and 

 arranged in a rosette ; the legs are slender, the lower 

 jaws are straight and thickened at the tips ; the first 

 pair of legs are the longest, and then the second pair. 

 The eyes are disposed as follows : four in the centre, 

 occupying a quadrilateral space, and two on each 

 side. The genera are Linyphia, U/oborus, Tetragnatha, 

 and Epeiru. 



In the genus Epeira the four middle eyes are ar- 

 ranged in a square, and the other four are placed in 

 pairs on each side. The hooks of the jaws are folded 

 along their internal surface, and the spinnerets are but 

 slightly exserted. These spiders live separately, each 

 individual forming its own web, which in some of the 

 large exotic species, as the Epeira clavipes, a native of 

 the West Indies, is sufficiently strong to hold small 

 birds, which may by accident be caught in it ; those of 

 our own country are capable of retaining insects of 

 considerable size, which form the prey of the spider ; 

 for this purpose they are suspended vertically between 

 the branches of trees or plants, or in other open spaces 

 frequented by insects : occasionally they are placed 

 obliquely, and even horizontally, as in the Epeira 

 ciicurbitina. No sooner is a fly or other insect caught 

 in the web, than it is approached by the spider, which 

 in a curious manner envelops it in a silken shroud, by 

 placing the tips of its fore legs, at each extremity 

 of the insect's body, so as to form the points of au 

 axis, round which the insect is whirled with rapidity, 

 a dense layer of silk being at the same time thrown 

 round it from the spinnerets. This genus is very 

 numerous in species : M. Walckenaer mentions sixty- 

 four species in his Table of Araneides, generally 

 remarkable for the variety of their colours, forms, and 

 economy. Of these many of the exotic species are 

 remarkable for the singular spines and teeth with 

 which they are armed. 



Epeira diadema. 



The best known English species is the Epeira 

 diadema, which abounds in our gardens in the 

 autumn, and which has received its name from the 

 elegant markings of a pale colour upon the upper 

 sicte of its dark-coloured abdomen. The female 

 places her cocoon of eggs in retired corners of 

 walls and similar situations, the young are excluded 

 in the following spring. 



We must refer to our article SPIDER for a general 

 account of the mode in which the webs of these 

 insects are constructed, and for other details relative 

 to their economy. 



EPHEDRA (Linnaeus). A curious genus of plants 



