TETRAGNATHA. ARACHNIDES. 199 



silky ; back white ; abdomen oblong, banded with fasciculi of 

 hairs ; legs with two darker rings. Inhabits pine forests in Ger- 

 many. Lat. Gen. i. 110. 



Gen. 21. TETRAGNATHA, Lat. Aranea, Lin. 

 Eyes subequal, disposed in two straight and almost parallel 

 transverse lines, the four middle ones forming nearly a qua- 

 drangle ; maxillae straight, elongate, and narrow, almost equal- 

 ly broad ; apex dilated externally and round ; lip semicircu- 

 lar, and somewhat notched ; legs very long and slender, the 

 first pair longest, then the second, and afterwards the fourth. 



T. extensa, Lat. Reddish ; abdomen oblong, golden-green, with 

 the sides and two lines below yellowish ; the middle below lon- 

 gitudinally black. Inhabits Europe, in moist places, construct- 

 ing a vertical web. Lat. Gen. i. 101. 



Gen. 22. EPEIRA, Lat. Walck. Aranea, Lin. 

 Eyes with the four middle ones in a triangular form, the two 

 anterior ones largest ; maxillae subcircular, internally mem- 

 branaceous; lip semicircular, short, the point membranaceous ; 

 feet hispid, the first pair longest, then the second, afterwards 

 the fourth ; abdomen subglobose, large, much broader than 

 the thorax. 



E. diadema, Lat. Diadem Spider. Reddish ; abdomen globose- 

 oval, with an elevated angle on each side of its base ; dorsal band 

 broad, triangular, dentated, darker, with a triple cross of luteous 

 white dots or spots, and with four impressed dots disposed in a 

 quadrangle. Inhabits Europe, on the borders of woods and in 

 gardens. B. Lat. Gen. i. 106. 



FAMILY IV. LATERIGRAD^:. 



Feet extended horizontally in repose, the four anterior longest 

 and almost equal ; eyes forming the segment of a circle. 



This division includes those spiders which form no regular web, but merely ex- 

 tend isolated threads to contract the leaves among which they have fixed their dwel- 

 ling. They run often sideways or backwards. 



Gen. 23. THOMISUS, Lat. Aranea, Lin. 

 Eyes subequal, disposed in nearly a semicircle ; body flattened, 

 crab-shaped, with the abdomen large, rounded, or triangular ; 

 jaws inclined on the lip ; lip subovate ; feet with the four an- 

 terior generally longest. 



The greater part of this numerous genus are glabrous, or have but scattered hairs. 

 They run quickly on the ground, climb plants, bushes, and trees, descending 

 and ascending by means of a thread. Contracting their feet, they balance them- 

 selves in the air, giving to their almost impreceptible thread a movement and direc- 

 tion, as if nature had provided them with wings. Lister compares their motions to 

 those of rope-dancers. They are often met with on the corollas of flowers. 



* Eyes placed in two parallel straight lines. 



T. castanetis, Lat. Body and feet chestnut, and covered with a 

 down of the same colour ; eyes reddish and brilliant, the two an- 



