174 THE BRITISH NATURE BOOK 



weaves a large dome on grasses or bushes, under which she remains with the 

 young until they are old enough to manage for themselves. 



o o 

 Genus Hi. Hecaeree. Position of eyes : o o ; found in woods. Cocoon 



00 



flattened, attached to the under side of a stone. 



o 

 Genus iv. Sphasus. Position of eyes : o o Has a habit of leaping 



00 



upon its prey, resembling in this way the Salticidce. 



Family iii. Salticidce. Genus i. Eresus. Very rare. Crimson and black 



o 

 in colour ; not more than of an inch. Position of eyes : o o * 



o a 



o o 



Genus ii. Salticus. Eyes thus : ; the two middle eyes of the 



front row being larger than the rest. S. scenicus is very common, about 

 ^ of an inch long ; recognized by its zebra-like markings, and its habit of stalking 

 and leaping upon its prey. In so doing it always secures itself by fixing a silk 

 thread to its starting-point, and drawing it out as it jumps. It is thus saved 

 from falling headlong. 5. cupreus, which is about J of an inch long and has a 

 metallic sheen on the back, places her eggs in some crevice in a nest of silk, and 

 appears to try to disguise it by sticking small particles of earth, etc., on the 

 outside. 



Family iv. Thomisida. Genus i. Thomisus. Position of the eyes : * ; 



o d 



the larger ones being on slight elevations. They are a very short and broad 

 species, with the first two pairs of legs very long. T. cristatus is the commonest, 

 and is one of the species which float on gossamers. It is found hunting on 

 bushes, where it spins long lines to serve as tracks for pursuing its prey ; in 

 the autumn this consists of other spiders. T. citreus is a species that hides in 



flowers to await its prey. 



o 

 Genus ii. Philodromus. Position of the eyes : o" o P- caspiticolis is 



O O 



found on heaths, where its nest, with one or two cocoons, flat and white, 

 may be found on a branch, amidst a cluster of leaves which have been drawn 

 together. The female will savagely defend her eggs if attacked. 



Genus iii. Sparassus. Eyes thus : o ; a very active species in 



99 



chasing its prey on the ground or grass. 5. smaragdulus makes a large round 

 cocoon, green in colour, which she places in a cell made of leaves rolled together. 



Family v. Drassida. Genus i. Drassus. Position of eyes : . D. 



ater is a nearly black species, which is nocturnal in habit. The nest is a cell 

 of white silk in a hole in the earth or under a stone, and the female keeps close 

 guard on the eggs, which she places in a cocoon within. 



O Q 



Genus ii. Clubiona. Position of the eyes ; . C. holosericea, about 



