SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



*5 



longitudinal hands. Legs yellowish-brown with 



some indistinct annulations. Abdomen brownish- 

 yellow, with numerous black markings. This spider 

 is uncommon and local. 



GENUS MIC ARIA C. Koch. 



The spiders included in this genus are more or less 

 of an ant-like form, and of the most brilliant colours. 

 The eyes are very small, and are arranged in two 

 nearly equal parallel rows, slightly curved, with the 

 Convexities of the rows directed backwards. 



Micaria pulicaria Sund. {Drassus nitens Bl.) 

 Length. Male 3.5 mm., female 4 mm. 

 This is one of the prettiest spiders found in Britain, 

 and cannot be mistaken for any other, except 

 perhaps M. scintillans Cambr. The general ground 

 colour is black, but the spider is covered with peculiar 

 scale-like hairs which reflect metallic tints. This 

 spider is not uncommon and is widely distributed. I 

 have taken it plentifully between Bexhill and St. 

 Leonards, where it lives amongst the ants with which 

 the shore is infested. The similarity in the appear- 

 ance of the ant and the spider is very striking. 



Micaria scintillans Cambr. 



Length. Male 5 mm., female 6 mm. 



This spider is similar to the last, but is decidedly 

 larger, and is not so brilliantly coloured. It is less 

 common, and very local. 



GENUS MICARIOSOMA Simon. 



In this genus the eyes are arranged in two short, 

 slightly curved, concentric rows. The maxillae are 

 strong and very broad at the base. 



Micariosoma festivum C. Koch. (Drassus 

 tiropinqiius Bl. Phrurolithus festivus in " Spiders of 

 Dorset.") 



Length. Male 3 mm., female 3.5 mm. 



Cephalo-thorax brown and hairy. Legs yellowish- 

 brown, with the femora of the first two pairs much 

 darker. Abdomen brown with some white and yellow 

 markings. This species is not uncommon. 



GENUS ZORA C. KOCH. 



In this genus the convexities of the two rows of 

 eyes are directed towards one another, the curve of 

 the posterior row being very considerable. 



Zora spinimana Sund. (Hecaerge viaculata 

 Bl. and •' Spiders of Dorset. '") 



Length. Male 5 mm., female 6.5 mm. 



Cephalo-thorax dull yellow, with two broad, brown, 

 longitudinal bands. Legs yellow, with some brown 

 markings. Abdomen yellowish-brown with distinct 

 markings of a blackish tint. This species is not un- 

 common, but is liable, on account of the position of 

 the eyes, to be confounded with some of the Lycosidae. 

 It may readily be distinguished from these, however, 

 by its possessing only two tarsal claws. 



Zora nemoralis Bl. (Hecaerge uemoralis Bl.) 

 Closely allied to the last. The abdomen is clothed 



with long hairs, which impart to it a smooth silky 



appearance. This spider is very rare. 



FAMILY SPARASSIDAE. 



In this family the eyes are arranged in two 

 transverse rows. The anterior row is strongly 

 curved, and has its convexity directed forwards ; 

 whilst the posterior row is almost straight, with its 

 slight convexity directed backwards. In many respects 

 the spiders included in the Sparassidae are allied 

 to the Clubionidae, between which family and the 

 Thomisidae they seem to form a connecting link. 

 A single genus only, containing but one species, has 

 hitherto been found in Britain. 



GENUS MICROMMATA LATK. 



Maxillae long and straight. Labium semicircular. 

 Legs 4, 2, 1, 3. Tarsal claws 2 in number. 



Micrommata virescens Clk. (Sparassus 

 smaragdulus Bl. ) 



Length. Male 8.5 mm., female 13 mm. 



The cephalo-thorax of the male is of a greenish - 

 yellow tint, the colour of the legs being very similar. 

 The abdomen is of a bright yellow hue above, the 

 sides shading off to a dull green. On the upper 

 surface are three bands of brilliant scarlet. The 

 female is wholly of a bright green colour. This is 

 one of our most beautiful spiders, but unfortunately it 

 is rather uncommon. It is generally distributed over 

 the Southern Counties of England, and it has been 

 taken in the South of Ireland. It frequents low- 

 plants in open spaces in woods, and, although the 

 male will be distinguished at once by its bright 

 colours, the female so closely assimilates the tint of 

 the leaves that it can only be detected by practised 



eyes. 



FAMILY THOMISIDAE. 



In this family the eyes are usually small, and are 

 arranged in a semicircle or crescent. The terminal 

 tarsal claws are two in number, and the spinners 

 short. The fakes are not prominent. The spiders 

 contained in this family, in many cases, bear a striking 

 resemblance to crabs, both in respect to their general 

 appearance and their method of progression. The 

 Thomisidae are found in very varied situations, such 

 as among reeds and heather, under stones, and in 

 the blossoms of plants. They spin no snare, but lie 

 in wait for their prey. 



GENUS TIB ELL US SIM. 



The lateral eyes of the posterior row are somewhat 

 the largest of the eight, and are widely separated 

 from the other eyes. The cephalo-thorax is longer 

 than broad, and the abdomen rather elongated. 



Tibellus oblongus YYlk. (Philodromus 

 oblongus Bl. ) 



Length. Male 7.5 mm., female 9.5 mm. 



The cephalo-thorax is dull yellow, with three dark 



