THE SPIDERS OF THE TYNE VALLEY. 363 



and widely distributed in the British Isles, but abroad is 

 only reported from Spain, France, Western Germany, and 

 Switzerland. Its range is thus chiefly western. 

 Amaurobius ferox (Walck.). Rather rare, but occasionally 

 found on old walls, especially among coarse herbage at 

 their bases. In such a situation a colony was found near 

 Acomb. In Europe this species is common and widely 

 distributed. In Scotland and the North of England it is 

 rare, becoming very common in the South. It occurs in 

 Ireland, and is abundant locally in the Isle of Man. 



Family MIMETID^. 



Ero furcata (VilL). This species is thinly distributed over 

 Britain, Ireland, and Europe. It is nowhere common. 

 Perhaps this is due to the fact that the beautiful pear- 

 shaped, stalked egg sacs (each resembling a balloon held 

 captive by a short rope) only contain some half-dozen 

 eggs a-piece. We do not however know how many of 

 such receptacles are woven by each spider. It occurs 

 sparingly among grass, heather, and other herbage. 

 Adults may be found throughout the year. 



Family THERIDllD^. 



Episinus truncatus (Latreille). Males and females adult 

 in June. Among heather near Dipton Wood. Much 

 commoner in the South of England than elsewhere in 

 Britain. It has, however, been recorded for both Scotland 

 and Ireland. In the North of England it is a rarity. 

 The Hexham specimens are possibly identical with those 

 recorded as jE. higubris (Sim.) from the Lake District. 



Theridion tepidariorum (C. L. Koch). Several mature 

 females, with their egg sacs, were found in August in one 

 of the greenhouses belonging to the Tynedale Hydro at 

 Hexham. The distribution of this species is world wide, 

 and it occurs even in such remote places as the Chatham 

 Isles. It is supposed to have been artificially introduced 

 into Britain and Europe, and to have originated in 



