and Systematic Arrangement of British Spiders. 269 



pairs, which are the longest, are equal in length, and the third 

 pair is the shortest ; it is prohable, however, that these discre- 

 pancies may be more apparent than real, for, without measure- 

 ment, it is difficult to ascertain the relative length of the limbs 

 of spiders, especially when they do not differ greatly in longi- 

 tudinal extent, and this difficulty is chiefly occasioned by the 

 unequal breadth of the cephalo- thorax, to which they are arti- 

 culated. 



144. Neriene apicata. 



Neriene apicata, Blackw. Annals and Mag. of Nat. Hist. Second 

 Series, vol. vi. p. 339. 



A male of Neriene apicata, having the palpal organs completely 

 developed, was taken on a rail at Oakland in February 1850. 



145. Neriene rubens. 



Xeriene rubens, Blackw. Lond. and Edinb. Phil. Mag. Third Series, 



vol. iii. p. 189 ; Research, in Zool. p. 370. 

 Theridion cheliferum, Wider, Museum Senckenb. B. i. p. 237. taf. 16. 



fig. 4. 

 Argus cheliferus, W alck. Hist. Nat. des Insect. Apt. t. ii. p. 364. 



The palpi of the male of this species, which is found 

 among heath and grass in Denbighshire, Yorkshire, and the 

 south of Lancashire, are very peculiar in structure ; M. Wider 

 has well remarked that " sie haben viel Aehnlichkeit mit der 

 Scheere der Krebse, nur dass ein eigentlicher Daumen fehlt " 

 (Museum Senckenbergianum, B. i. p. 238). 



146. Neriene nigra. 



Neriene nigra, Blackw. Research, in Zool. p. 378. 



Males and females of Neriene nigra were obtained in the 

 autumn of 1833 on posts and rails at Oakland and Crumpsall 

 Hall. The attention of observers is directed to this common 

 aeronautic spider by the frequency of its aerial excursions. 



147. Neriene graminicola. 



Linyphia graminicola, Sund. Yet. Acad. Handl. 1829, p. 213. 

 Theridion rulripes, Hahn, Die Arachn. B. i. p. 92. tab. 22. fig. 70. 

 Micryphantes rubripes, Koch, Die Arachn. B. iv. p. 121. tab. 142. 



fig. 328, 329. 

 Argus yraminicolis, Walck. Hist. Nat. des Insect. Apt. t. ii. p. 351. 



An adult male of this spider, which has the essential characters 

 of a Neriene, was taken among herbage in a field at Southgate 

 in May 1850, and is in Mr. Walker's cabinet. 



