—— 
1 
3 
Family II. Saltigrade. The Jumping Spiders 
leap upon their prey, and drag them back to their nests. 

Salticus scentcus is found about walls ,and is 
often seen in sunny places very early in the spring. 
Family IV. Retetelarie. The Gossamer Spiders 
spin lose threads or net-like webs, and some of 
the species float about in them in autumn. 
Fig. g. Linyphia montana makes its nest on 
fences or in old houses, or among heath. 
Family V. Tubitelarie. 
have 8 eyes arranged in 2 rows. They spin webs 
with cylindrical cells in which they catch their prey. | 
Fig. h. Zegenaria 
domestica is greyish 
brown with two brown 
streaks on the cephalo- 
thorax. The belly is 
ash-coloured , spotted 
with black. The male 
is smaller than the fe- 
male. The web is purse- 
like, and is generally 
spun in a corner be- 
tween two wals. 
Argyroneta aqua- 
tica, the Water Spider, 
makes a silky nest in 
the water, in with it 
lives: =) Whe “eyes in 
the middle are arranged 
in a triangle, and the 
lateral ones obliquely. 
It is found in stagnant 
or gently flowing water, 
where it makes it’s nest 
among the water-plants. 
The nest is bell-shaped, 
of the size of half a 
pigeon’s egg, with the 
opening downwards. 
The spider comesto the 
surface of the water to breathe, and when it climbs | 
down again into the water along the plants, it is | 
Order IT. 
The Mites are small, and often microscopic 
animals. The body is not divided, and the abdomen 
is not jointed. The body is generally oval, and is 
often provided with bristles or other appendages. 
The palpi are free, and composed of several joints, 
and the number of eyes varies according to the 
species. There are mites with 3 or 4 pairs of 
legs, of which the front pair is used for grasping. 
The mites hide themselves under stones and in moss, 
or on plants, animals &e. Some are parasitic, and 
a few spin a web. 
Family I. Trombidiid#. The Ground Mites are 
small red or yellow mites, with long slender legs 
Some have no eyes, others have 2, 4 or 6, either 
sessile or stalked. They run rather fast. They are 

The House Spiders | 

Bird-killing Spider (7heraphosa avicularia)§4 
surrounded with 
is retained by 
a silvery bubble of air, which 
the hairs of the body and a varnish- 














like covering. This bubble it sets free in its nest, 
which thus gradually becomes filled with air , 
that the spider can live 
dry in the water. It feeds 
on small water-antmals. 
Family VI. Orbi- 
telariz. In the Garden 
Spiders, the abdomen 
is large, and is fur- 
nished with 6° spin- 
nerets. The nests are 
regularly formed ofradi- 
atingand concentrically 
intersecting threads. 
Fig. i. LEpera 
diadema, the Garden 
Spider, is a large rust- 
coloured spider, with 
a white cross bordered 
with black on _ the 
back; but it sometimes 
varies in colour. It 
makes very ingenious- 
ly constructed webs. 
In fine ‘weather, the 
spider sits in the middle 
of its web, and rushes 
out to seize any in- 
sect which may have 
been caught, when it 
quickly entangles it ina 
few threads, and then sucks it dry. In bad weather and 
at night it retires to some hiding place near the web. 
so 
VBE 
Acarina. 
found among moss &c. 
parasitic on insects. 
Family IL. Hydrachnide.. 
Water Mites are very small, 
are of aquatic habits. 
Fig. k. Hydrachna geogra- 
phica is very prettily marked with 
red. When young, it generally 
lives attached to the legs of the 
Water Skorpion. 
Family Hl. Gamaside. The 
Insekts Mites have a rater long 
body, and legs varying in length, 
with 4 claws at the ends. There are no eyes. They live 
parasitically on beetles, humble-bees, birds and reptiles. 
The 
oO 
ge 
young are generally 
The 
and 

Trombidium holoser t- 
ceum (magnified 8&0 
diameters ) 
