BRITISH SPIDERS OF THE GENUS MICRONETA 117 



On the British Spiders of the Genus Microneta. 



By A. Randell Jackson, M.D., D.Sc. 



(Plates VII. and VIII.) 



The chief reason for undertaking the present work was that 

 a good deal of confusion had arisen both in this country and 

 on the Continent as to the species of the so-called genus 

 Microneta. This, I think, was due to the fact that the 

 descriptions of some of the species did not lay stress upon the 

 distinguishing specific features, but wasted their strength on 

 non-essential characters. 



In 1900, when Mr. Pickard-Cambridge published his " List 

 of British and Irish Spiders," 1 he included under Microneta 

 no less than twelve species. Since then in the Proceedings of 

 the Dorset Field Club " he has described four others, one in 

 1902, 3 and three in 1906 4 . This gives a total of sixteen 

 species, but Mr. Pickard-Cambridge subsequently withdrew 

 two of these. These were M. nefaria 6 Camb. and M. territa 6 

 Camb., leaving fourteen species. 



I have for the purposes of the present paper examined the 

 actual types of all the species about which there was the least 

 doubt, and in order to make my account as complete as 

 possible I have also examined the actual types of all the 

 doubtful species of the genus Sintula. As a result I am now 



1 Published by Messrs. Sime and Co., Dorchester. 



2 The full name of this paper is " Proceedings of the Dorset Natural 

 History and Antiquarian Field Club." 



3 M. cauta Camb. 



4 M. passiva Camb., J\I. territa Camb., M. beata Camb. 



5 Sub Pocadicnemis pumila Bl., op. cit., 1905, p. 5 1 - 



6 Sub Metopobactrits prominulus Camb., op. cit. t 1907, p. 131. 



