Oonops pulcher. 405 



tibia and 1st of the tarsus with a double row of strong and lengthy spines ; 

 the posterior legs with a few additional, smaller, irregularly placed. 



This beautiful little Spider, which is with me exceedingly common, is 

 to be found in the same situations as the last : it passes the winter in the 

 centre of little cocoons which it weaves in the interstices of the ivy. 

 When first detached from the cocoons they are a little stupid, but soon 

 recover and begin to run about. They seem in their movements to com- 

 bine the peculiarities of different families of Spiders, at one time run- 

 ning forwards, then, when interrupted in their progress, taking a little 

 jump to the right or left with inconceivable swiftness and starting off in 

 some other direction. I have never seen them catching their prey by 

 leaping on it, but have no doubt of their capability, if the destined fly be 

 properly situated to admit of it, and I am inclined to think that this is 

 their mode of seizure, as they do not seem inclined to weave nets; a few 

 irregular threads being the only product of their labour when I have con- 

 fined them. 



They seem to possess a power which, from Mr. Blackwall's obser- 

 vations, must be very rare among Spiders; I allude to their being 

 enabled to walk upon glass. I have taken every precaution in ascer- 

 taining this, so as to avoid every doubt which could arise. I took them 

 up on the point of a brush and placed them on a plate of glass and then 

 set them off running in an opposite direction to that by which I placed 

 them there, so that no previously formed thread could assist them. I 

 also applied a high magnifier, and though the glass plate was held 

 towards opaque and luminous objects and with the light falling in every 

 possible direction, I could detect no thread; I observed however that the 

 whole of the last joint of the tarsus was closely adpressed to the .o-lass, 

 and that it walked with great deliberation ; when disturbed immediately 

 forming a thread as it dropped. How they manage this I cannot say, as 

 they have no provision such as we find on the feet of flies to enable them 

 to effect it. The claws are figured in the drawing, and between them I 

 detected on one foot a little transparent body on a peduncle exactly like 

 what we observe on the feet of the genus Giro. Perhaps this may be 

 the part of the foot in which the power resides. It requires future 

 investigation. 



