SPIDERS 



92. Erigone atra (Blackwall). 

 Yalding. 



Known also under Neriene. Often abun- 

 dant on railings. 



93. Tho vagans (Blackwall). 



Hurstwood ; Tunbridge Wells (T. R. R. S.). 

 Rare amongst dead leaves in woods and 

 shrubberies. Known also under Neriene and 

 as N. longimana. 



94. Gongylldium rufipes (Sundevall). 

 Gravesend (F. P. S.) ; Tunbridge Wells 



(T. R. R. S.). 

 Known also under Neriene and as N, mun- 

 da, Blackwall. 



95. Gonatium rubens (Blackwall). 

 Gravesend (F. P. S.) ; Hurstwood (T.R.R.S.). 



Known also under Neriene. 



96. Gonatium isaheUinum (C. L. Koch). 

 Yalding. 



Known also as Neriene rubella, Blackwall. 



97. Dicyphus cornuius (Blackwall). 

 Hurstwood (T. R. R. S.). 



Known also under Neriene. 



98. Hypomma bituberculatum (Blackwall). 

 Tunbridge Wells (T. R. R. S.). 



Known also under Neriene. 



99. Stylothorax apicatus (Blackwall). 

 Hurstwood (T. R. R. S.). 



Known also under Neriene. 



100. Kukzymkiellum fmcum (Blackwall). 

 Yalding. 



Known also under Neriene. 



lOi. Walckenaeria acuminata, Blackwall. 

 Rusthall (T. R. R. S.). 

 Known also under the name Walckenaera. 



102. Diplocephalus latifrons [0.?.-Cz.mhnAgc). 

 Rusthall (T. R. R. S.). 

 Known also under Walckenaera. 



THERIDIIDiE 



The members of this family have eight eyes situated very much like those of the Argyo- 

 pida, but the mandibles are usually weak, the maxillae are inclined over the labium, and 

 the posterior legs have a comb of stiff curved serrated spines beneath the tarsi. The web con- 

 sists of a tangle of crossing lines, and the spider often constructs a tent-like retreat wherein 

 the egg-sac is hung up. 



to the body in the middle of the tangled web. 

 Sometimes, but not often, a few chips of dry 

 leaf fallen into the web may be utilized as a 

 sort of apology for a tent-like retreat, con- 

 structed in the case of T. formomm with such 

 elaborate skill. When prey of any kind falls 

 into the toils the spider hurries down and with 

 the tarsal comb on the fourth pair of legs 

 commences kicking out from the spinners 

 silken fluid, often quite moist like treacle, 

 which strikes against and hardens on the 

 victim. In this way very large spiders, beetles 

 and woodlice are ensnared and converted into 

 food. With a rapid and irritable movement 

 of the forelegs also, small tufts of fine silk are 

 gathered and flung promiscuously over the 

 web. The male, a much smaller spider, may 

 often also be seen hanging near at hand in 

 the web, and the one or more brown pear- 

 shaped egg-sacs also hang in the upper part 

 of the toil. Sometimes these spiders are found 

 outside the houses, but rarely, if ever, amongst 

 the shrubs in the open garden. 

 105. Theridion varians, Hahn. 



103. Theridion formosum (Clerck). 

 Hurstwood (T. R. R. S.). 



Not uncommon in the open woods amongst 

 the young oak trees where the spiders spin an 

 irregular tangled web close to the trunk, 

 amongst the clusters of small twigs and 

 shoots growing on the stems of the trees. 

 Hanging somewhere in the web can be found 

 a small tent-like domicile made of fragments 

 of dead leaves, lichen and other debris. 

 Within it the spider remains crouched, in 

 close attendance upon her treasured egg-sac, 

 dropping instantly to the ground if the tent- 

 like retreat be handled or the web even 

 touched. The female is about the size of a 

 small pea, very gibbous, or humped on the 

 upper side, orange or black with narrow white 

 curving stripes running from the dorsal apex 

 down the sides. Known also as T. sisyphium, 

 Blackwall. 



104. Theridion tepidariorum, C. L. Koch. 

 Yalding; Canterbury. 



This large species is one of our commonest 

 spiders in conservatories and greenhouses, 

 where the curious triangular-shaped female 

 may be seen hanging with legs closely gathered 



Tunbridge Wells (T. R. R. S.) ; Canterbur>', 

 Yalding. 

 A very much smaller species, varying con- 

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