SCIENCE- GOSSIP. 



45 



AN INTRODUCTION TO BRITISH SPIDERS. 

 By Frank Percy Smu ii. 



(Continued from page 16. ') 



Philodromus aureolus Clk. 



Length. Male 5 mm., female 6 mm. 



The cephalo-thorax is of a dull yellowish-brown 

 colour, with a tinge of red. Along its central part is 

 a more or less distinct bright yellow band, within 

 which is a reddish-brown mark. The legs are long 

 and of a pale yellow tint. The abdomen is pale 

 yellowish-brown, with a series of reddish-brown bars 

 towards the spinners. In some specimens the abdo- 

 men is very pale coloured. This species is common, 

 and may be obtained in abundance by beating furze 

 bushes over a piece of white paper. 



Philodronms cespitieolens Wlk. (P. cespi- 

 iicolis Bl. ) This spider is so like P. aureolus Clk. 

 that its specific distinctness has been questioned. 

 The only observable difference between the two is 

 the form of the radial apophysis of the male palpus. 

 It is very common in similar situations to the last- 

 mentioned species. 



Philodronms praedatus Cambr. 



This spider is very closely allied to both P. aureolus 

 Clk. and P. cespitieolens Wlk. , and can only be satis- 

 factorily distinguished by the form of the radial 

 apophysis. It is rare. 



Philodrornus constellatus Sim. 

 Length. Female 7.5 mm. 



Cephalo-thorax dark yellowish-brown, with a pale 

 narrow marginal line. A very rare species. 



Philodrornus emarginatus Schrank. 



Length. Male 4.2 mm., female 4.5 mm. 



Cephalo-thorax dark chocolate-brown, paler in 

 front, with pale radiating lines on its sides. Very 

 rare. 



Philodrornus lineatipes Cambr. 



Length. Male 4.5 mm., female 4.8 mm. 



Similar to P. emarginatus Schrank, but a little 

 larger ; the radial apophysis is also different in form. 



Philodromus elegans Bl. 



Length. Female 6.3 mm. 



This spider bears a strong resembance to P. aureolus 

 Clk. , but it is much more distinctly and brilliantly 

 marked. It is rare. 



Philodromus fallax Sund. 



Length. Female 6 mm. 



This species may be easily distinguished by its pale, 

 faded appearance. It is rare, and should be looked 

 for on sandy ground. 



(1) This series of articles on British Spielers commenced in 

 SciENCE-Gossir, No. 67, December 1899. 



Philodromus clarkii Bl. 



Length. Male 3.6 mm. 



Cephalo-thorax and legs reddish-brown, with darker 

 spots. Abdomen similar in coloui, paler at the sides. 

 A rare and very distinct species. 



Philodromus variatus Bl. 



Length. Female 6.3 mm. 



Cephalo-thorax yellowish-brown, with darker 

 lateral bands. Legs pale reddish-brown. Abdomen 

 yellowish-brown, marked with darker brown, and 

 tinged with dull green on the underside. A rare 

 spider hitherto found in North Wales. 



Philodromus mistus Bl. 

 Length. Male 5.5 mm., female 6 mm. 

 The hairs on this spider reflect beautiful iridesceni 

 tints in a strong light. 



GENUS OXYPTILA SIM. 



Eyes in two curved row r s. The distance between 

 the hind centrals is less than that between one of 

 them and the lateral next to it. The four central 

 eyes form a quadrangle whose length is greater than 

 its breadth. The spiders included in this genus are 

 usually found among the roots of |low plants or under 

 stones. 



Oxyptila praticola C. L. Koch. ( Thomisus 

 incertus Bl. ) 



Length. Male 3.5 mm., female 4 mm. 



Cephalo-thorax pale reddish-brown, with a pale 

 central band. Legs brow'nish-yellow, mottled with 

 reddish-brown and white. Abdomen yellowish - 

 brown, marked with a large number of reddish-brown 

 and very dark brown spots. This spider is found 

 among low plants and is rather rare, but well distri- 

 buted. 



Oxyptila blackwallii Sim. {Thomisus clavea- 

 lus Bl. ) 



Length. Male and female 3.5 mm. 



This spider may be easily distinguished from its 

 allies by the possession of a number of short bristles, 

 clubbed at their extremities, on the front part of the 

 caput and on the abdomen. It is very local. 



Oxyptila sanctuaria Cambr. 



Length. Male 2.5 mm. 



This species is allied to 0. blackwallii Sim., bm 



may be distinguished by its smaller size and by the 

 clubbed bristles being much less clavate. It is 



