196 



SCIENCE- GOSSIP. 



ones are of a reddish-brown colour, and possess 

 strong mandibles. Ant-hills were very useful to 

 our soldiers as shelters in the battles. The natives 

 grind the hills into powder, and, mixing them with 

 glue made from skins, use them for floors for huts. 

 The material sets hard like cement. It is also used 

 for making tennis grounds. The Boers frequently 

 whitewashed ant-hills on the veldt to mark the 

 ranges for their guns. 



The spruits in Pretoria provided a habitat for 

 land crabs. These animals varied in size from a 

 couple of inches to four or five inches across the 

 shell. They dug holes under the footway, causing 

 considerable damage to the earth above, in conse- 

 quence of which the tunnels often collapsed after 

 rain. 



There is one point which is perhaps worth 

 notice, and that is the method adopted by the 

 Kaffirs for smoking " gunja." They soften the 



ground with water, and bury in it a portion of a 

 sjambok lash. The lash is pulled through, leaving 

 a subterranean passage : at one end of this passage 

 the " gunja " and a live coal are placed, at the other 

 end of the passage the mouth is applied. Having 

 previously filled the mouth with water, the smoke 

 is drawn into the mouth. The water is then 

 ejected and the smoke exhaled as in ordinary 

 smoking of tobacco. 



The possibilities for scientific investigation in 

 South Africa must not be judged from the fore- 

 going notes. They were made often under great 

 difficulties, and cannot be called more than passing 

 observations, more serious occupation generally 

 commanding one's attention. Still, they may be of 

 interest to some readers, and form for myself 

 a reminiscence of a very trying period. 



29 Nightingale Place, Woolwich. 

 10th November, 1901. 



AN INTRODUCTION TO BRITISH SPIDERS. 



By Frank Percy Smith. 



(Continued from page 174.) 



GENUS BATHYPHANTES MENGE. 



' I ""HIS genus may be distinguished from the six 

 preceding genera by the metatarsi of the first 

 pair of legs being as long as the tibiae. The femora 

 of the first and second pairs are usually each furnished 

 with a spine, but there are no metatarsal spines. The 

 eyes are arranged in a compact group, the distances 

 between those of the posterior row being less than the 

 diameter of the eyes. The posterior row is almost 

 or quite straight, and the anterior centrals are much 

 smaller than the laterals. 



Bathyphantes variegatus Bl. {Linyphia 



variegata in " Spiders of Dorset.") 

 Length. Male 2 mm., female larger. 

 The most tangible characteristics are figured. It 



is a rare spider. 



Bathyphantes coneolor Wid. ( Theridion 

 filipes Bl.) 



Length. Male 2.5 mm., female slightly larger. 



The vulva and palpal organs, which are figured, 

 are very typical. This species is not rare, and is 

 widely distributed. 



Bathyphantes approximates Cb. {Liny- 

 phia approximata in " Spiders of Dorset.") 



Length. Male 2.7 mm., female slightly larger. 



Cephalo-thorax dull yellowish-brown, often with 

 some indistinct markings. Palpus of male short. 

 Digital joint with palpal organs very large, almost 

 equalling in length the rest of the palpus. 



The palpal organs have, in common with those of 



several allied spiders, a circularly curved spine at 

 their extremity. Apparently rare. 



Bathyphantes nigrinus Westr. {Linyphia 

 pulla Bl. ) 



Length. Male 3 mm., female 3.5 mm. 



The palpal organs have a coiled spine at their ex- 

 tremity, but they are considerably smaller than in 

 B. approximatus. The vulva is figured. Not rare. 



Bathyphantes setiger, F.O.P. Cb. 

 Length. Male 2 mm. 



This species may be at once recognised by the 

 entire absence of femoral spines. 



Bathyphantes pullatus Cb. {Linyphia 

 pullata in " Spiders of Dorset.") 



Length. Male 2.5 mm. 



Very closely allied to B. nigrinus, but lacks the 

 coiled spine at the extremity of the palpal organs. 

 Rare. 



Bathyphantes gracilis Bl. {Linyphia gracilis 

 + L. ciratmspecta Bl. ) 



Length. Male 2 mm. 



Abdomen almost white upon its upper surface, with 

 a series of dark transverse markings. The palpal 

 organs are figured. A very common species. 



Bathyphantes parvulus Westr. {Linyphia 

 parvula in " Spiders of Dorset.") 



Length. Male 2. 5 mm. 



Closely allied to B. gracilis, but the abdomen is 

 unicolorous. Not common. 



