SPIDERS 175 



\ an inch long, is common in wooded districts, on leaves and flowers, under 

 stones, etc. The cell containing the cocoon is under a leaf or in a crevice. 

 Here the female stays, only emerging to seize an insect. The interesting point 

 about this cell is that it contains two chambers, in one of which the male, and 

 in the other the female, resides. They prey largely on the eggs of other spiders, 

 and are themselves liable to attack from predatory insects and other spiders. 

 One insect is known to lay an egg in the cocoon, the larva from which quietly 

 devours the whole of the eggs. C. corticalis adorns her cell with particles of earth, 

 sand, fragments of insects, etc., either to disguise it or to make it stronger. 



Genus iii. Argyroneta. Position of eyes: . A. aquatica is one 



of the most remarkable of the British species. The male is larger than the 

 female, which in itself is exceptional among spiders. The abdomen is thickly 

 coated with hairs. These spiders live almost entirely under water, the fine 

 hair of the abdomen being used to entangle a large bubble of air, so that when 

 beneath the water the animal appears to be surrounded by a silver globe. 

 These species are easy to keep in an aquarium, and make most interesting 

 " pets." The female constructs the cell under the water, attached to some 

 plant, in shape like a miniature thimble, and this she fills with air, round it 

 extending threads which serve to entrap various water insects, although 

 occasionally she will leave the water to hunt her prey on land, carrying it when 

 captured to her nest. Here the eggs are laid in the dome, the young on 

 hatching having the air bubble like the adults. During the winter they 

 hibernate in their cells under the water. 



Family vi. Ciniflonidce. Genus i. Ciniflo. Position of eyes : e e g . 

 This species has a fourth pair of spinnerets, and a curious double row of curved 

 spines on the upper joint of the foot, known as the calamistra, and used for 

 constructing the remarkable web. This appears at first sight dirty and ragged, 

 but is in reality composed of compound threads curled and twisted in every 

 direction, and covered with almost invisible " flocking," which appears to give 

 a bluish tinge to the whole structure. C. atrox, about f of an inch, has a very 

 poisonous bite, and can attack wasps with impunity. In whiter it swathes 

 itself in a warm covering of this flocculent silk. 



Genus ii. Ergatis. Position of eyes as in the preceding, but all more 

 nearly of equal size. E. benigna makes quite a small web on grass or small 

 plants. Her Latin name indicates that she lives peaceably with her mate ; 

 and, indeed, the pair take shares in making the nest. The female is about 

 of an inch long. 



Genus iii. Veleda. Position of the eyes is uncommon, being in two cres- 

 cents curved away from the face V 3 . 



o o 



Family vii. Agelenida. Genus i. Agelena. Eyes . A. labyrinthica 



is one of the commonest of this family, found on commons and heaths, where 

 its large, compact white net, spread horizontally, is a familiar sight. From 



