88 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Many species, too, though locally abundant, are often found in one or two 

 sjDots alone in a considerable area ; and consequently are only brought to 

 light by a very careful search, extending over a long period of time. As 

 evidence of this, one might quote the fact that even in the neighbourhood of 

 Bloxworth in Dorsetshire, where the Eev. 0. P. Cambridge has been working 

 at spiders for so long, new species are still being found constantly. 



In Ireland, unfortunately, workers in this group are few and far between, 

 so that I have no doubt there are still a considerable number of species 

 awaiting discovery. 



Amongst those who have given attention to spiders in Ireland, how- 

 ever, most valuable work has been done by Mr. J. N. Halbert on several 

 collecting expeditions for the Flora and Fauna Committee of the Royal 

 Irish Academy ; and, also, on a few occasions, when collecting for the Eoyal 

 Society. 



Many rare species, too, have been taken by Mr. E. Welch in some of the 

 remoter and less accessible parts of Ireland. In fact, without the contri- 

 butions of these two gentlemen, the following lists would have been hardly 

 worth presenting. 



I have also received most interesting collections of Spiders from 

 Mr. E. LI. Praeger, Mrs. Praeger, Mr. IS&vin H. Foster, Miss M. Browne- 

 Clayton, and Mr. H. L. Orr. Besidea these. Dr. Scharff has kindly allowed 

 me to overhaul a quantity of material, which has from time to time been 

 sent in to the Museum, and which included collections made by 

 Mr. W. F. de V. Kane, Mr. J. J. F. X. King, Eev. J. M. Browne, and 

 Mr. E. Patterson. Besides all these collections, Professor Carpenter has 

 very kindly allowed me to include in the lists which follow, all the records 

 of spiders which he identiiied after the publication of his list, up to the time 

 when he left the Museum in 1904. 



There is plenty of work still to be done in this group, so that I am in 

 hopes that those who have been good enough to collect in the past will not 

 relax their efforts in the future, and that possibly new collectors may be 

 induced to help. 



In the nomenclature used I have as far as possible followed M. Simon, 

 as did Professor Carpenter in his list ; and taking into consideration, too, the 

 fact that in many of the genera the names are as yet by no means crystallized, 

 I have made as few changes as possible in those used by Professor Carpenter. 



In determining the rarer species I have received the most valuable 

 assistance from Professor Carpenter, the Ee\-. 0. Pickard Cambridge, and 

 Dr. A. Eandell Jackson, to all of whom I would wish to tender my most 

 sincere thanks. 



