BRITISH SPIDERS OF THE GENUS MICRONETA 139 



moss and herbage in elevated and exposed situations, and 

 especially in swampy places. 



Agyneta ramosa sp. nov. (Plate VIIL, figs. 6, 6a, 6b.) 



Of this species I only know the male, four specimens of 

 which have so far turned up. Of these one example was 

 found in the New Forest, and three in Delamere Forest, 

 Cheshire. All were found amongst moss in swampy places 

 surrounded by trees, and the Delamere examples occurred in 

 company with A. subti/is Camb. and A. cauta Camb. One of 

 these Delamere specimens is in the possession of Mr. W. 

 Falconer. 



The total length of a male of this species was 1*87 mm., 

 and in size, colour, and facies the species is similar to A. cauta 

 Camb. and A. subtilis Camb. 



The palpi are, however, readily recognizable. The lamella 

 characteristica has a small body bearing several forwardly 

 directed teeth, the exact number and position of which is only 

 very slightly variable. From the anterior part of the tail, 

 however, arises a long curved process running towards the 

 inner side of the palpal organs, and provided at its extremity 

 with three strong teeth. This resembles a sort of curved 

 trident, and it will be noted that the whole lamella is quite 

 unlike that of either A. cauta or A. subtilis, and is in no sense 

 intermediate between them. 



The palpal tarsus possesses on its inner side near the 

 dorsum and towards the base a process resembling that of 

 A. cauta Camb., but the process itself and the adjacent inner 

 basal angle of the tarsus are shaped rather differently. This 

 difference was constant in all the four examples. 



It is necessary to elevate this form to specific rank, as it is 

 impossible to assign it to any of the other species. To throw 

 it into one of the other species as a race is in my opinion out 

 of the question, as it is really more distinct from A. subtilis 

 and A. cauta than either is from the other. Its distribution 

 quite bars the notion of it being a mere local form. The 



