Rev. O. P. Cambridge on British Spiders. 5 



(PI. I. fig. 2 b) , very nearly resembles that of the species 

 which I take to be Neriene fusca^ Bl. (PL I. fig. 2 a) ; but 

 its colours, like those of the male, are much richer, the 

 legs being of a bright reddish orange, and the abdomen 

 quite black, without any longitudinal pale stripe on the 

 upperside, which is always present in N. fasca. It is very 

 difficult to decide with absolute certainty on the identity 

 of N. agrestis^ BL, and N. fusca^ BL The female of N. 

 agrestis^ described by Mr. Blackwall, agrees best with those 

 females which I liave found always in company with the 

 males of his N.fusca, while the female of this latter agrees 

 better in some respects with those I found in company with 

 the males above recorded at Hoddesdon. It seems to me 

 very probable that, as both species occurred in Mr. Black- 

 wall's district, and apparently in equal abundance, he may 

 have confused the females of the two. Another element of 

 confusion has arisen from ^Ir. Blackwall having lost all his 

 types of both species, and supplied his artist with examples 

 for the illustration of each, in his work above quoted, fur- 

 nished by myself, but whicli, it has been since ascertained, 

 all belong to one species only. This species is the one which, 

 after much consideration, I conclude to be N. fusca, BL It 

 is very abundant in this district, where, as yet, I have never met 

 with the other. The males of N. fasca, Bl.-Cambr., are the 

 smallest and lightest-coloured of the two, and have the occiput 

 distinctly and decidedly gibbous in profile, while the females, 

 similar in general colouring, have always, or very nearly 

 always, the median longitudinal line on the upperside of the 

 abdomen paler than the rest, often amounting to a distinct 

 stripe, the general colour of the abdomen being yellowish 

 brown. In the other species, which I conclude to be iV, 

 agrestis, BL, the males are not only larger than those above 

 mentioned, but the colouring is much darker and richer, the 

 legs being of a bright orange red-brown, and the abdomen 

 black, while the profile of the occiput shows no gibbosity, 

 being merely convex or simply curved. 



At Hoddesdon I also found both sexes of the species which 

 I take to be N. fusca, BL, but not in the same locality as that 

 in which the other species occurred. 



In the same month (July 1881) an adult male of iV". agrestis,. 

 Bl.-Cambr., was found by my nephew, F. O. P. Cambridge, 

 near Southwell, in Nottinghamshire. I have also received it 

 from Dr. L. Koch from Nuremberg ; and ]\Ions. Simon tells 

 me that he finds it, though less commonly than its near ally 

 N. fusca, Bl.-Cambr,, in France. 



