3o8 



SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



AN INTRODUCTION TO BRITISH SPIDERS. 



By Frank Percy Smith. 



{Continued frovt page 240.^) 



GENUS ULOBORUS LATR. 



'T^HIS genus maybe readily distinguished by the 

 position of tlie eyes, as shown on fig. III., 

 Uloboridae. It will be noticed that the convexity of 

 each row of eyes is directed forwards. The genus 

 contains but one British species. 



tlloborus Walckenasrius Latr. { Veleda 

 lincata Bl.). - i -. 



Length of male 3.7 mm., length of female 5.3 mm. 



The cephalo-thorax is covered with pale hairs, and 

 has several longitudinal stripes of dark and light 

 brown. The legs are yellowish-brown with annula- 

 tions of a darker hue. The upper side of the 

 abdomen is of a pale, dull, yellow tint, with longi- 

 tudinal, dark-brown lines. 



This rare spider has been found in Dorset and 

 Hampshire. 



GENUS HYPTIOTES WALCK. 



This genus differs from Ulohorits in the position of 

 the eyes, the convexities of the two rows being 

 directed towards one another. 



Hyptiotss paradoxus C. Koch. 



Length of male 4.2 mm., length of female 5.3 mm. 



Cephalo-thorax light brown, covered with hairs. 

 Legs similar in colour, covered with hairs and spines. 

 Abdomen of a brown colour mottled with darker and 

 paler tints. The digital joint of the male palpus is 

 of enormous size, as also are the palpal organs. 



This extremely rare spider has been found in 

 Cumberland. 



FAMILY DICTYNIDES. 



We now come to a family of spiders which includes 

 several species that are common and well known. 

 The species present considerable variation in size, but 

 ijiay be distinguished by the following characters : — 

 Caput rather broad, the eyes being placed in two 

 transverse rows. The females have calamistra, a 

 supernumerary spinner being present in both sexes. 

 The falces are rather strong, but not greatly divergent. 



GENUS DICTYNA SUND. 



In this genus the cephalo-thorax is considerably 

 raised just behind the ocular area. The maxillae are 

 straight and inclined towards the labium, which is 

 large. The abdomen projects over the cephalo- 

 thorax. Legs 1,2, 4, 3. 



(i) This series of articles on British Spiders commenced in 

 SciENCE-GossiP, No. 67, December iSoq. 



Dictyna arundinaeea Linn. [Ergatis benigiia 

 Bl.) 



Length. Male 3. i mm. , female 3. 5 mm. 



The cephalo-thorax is dark brown, the caput being 

 clothed with lines of pale hairs. The legs are brown. 

 The abdomen is yellowish-brown, clothed with pale 

 hairs, and has a deep brown band along its upper 

 surface, which is interrupted towards the spinners so 

 as to form a series of transverse bars. The radial 

 joint of the male palpus has a small process, bifid at 

 its extremity, projecting from near the base on the 

 upper side. Attached to the palpal organs is a long 

 curiously twisted spine, directed backwards. 



This spider is rather common, spinning its snare 

 in the blossoms of heather and rushes. 



Dietyna uneinata Thor. {Ergatis arborea 

 Cambr. ) 



Length. Male 2.5 mm., female 2.7 mm. 



This species is similar in form and markings to D. 

 arundinaeea Linn., but may be distinguished without 

 difficulty if the process on the radial joint of the male 

 palpus be examined. In the present species it is 

 long, and springs quite from the base of the joint 

 instead of near it. The radial joint is longer than 

 the cubital. This is not uncommon in the Southern 

 counties of England. 



Dictyna pusilla Westr. 



Length. Male about 2.8 mm. « 



This spider is similar to the last, but may be dis- 

 tinguished from it by the radial joint of the male 

 palpus being shorter than the cubital. It is rare. 

 Localities. Oxford, Guildford. 



Dietyna latens Fabr. (Ergatis latens Bl. ) 



Length. Male 2.8 mm., female 3 mm. 



This species is very similar in structure to D. 

 arundinaeea Linn. It may be distinguished by its 

 smaller size and by its dark grey colour. 



Dictyna lugubris Cambr. 



Length. Male 3 mm. 



This extremely rare spider is similar in general 

 form to D. arundinaeea Linn., but may be distin- 

 guished by its very dark brown colouration. 



Dietyna viridissima Walck. 



Length. Male 4 mm. 



This species is also similar to D. arundinaeea 

 Linn. , but is much larger and of a distinctly green 

 hue. 



Dictyna variabilis C. Koch. 



This spider is very rare, but is easily distinguished 

 by the colour of the abdomen, which is a bright 

 pinkish yellow. 



