SPIDERS 



amongst shrubs in the open garden. This species 

 makes no tent-like retreat, but sits close to the one or 

 more pale rounded egg-sacs usually spun up against a 

 beam or window-sill. Known also as Theridim 

 varians. 



22 1. Steatoda dentuuhta, Walckenaer. 



Warrington (L. G.) ; Duddon Vale ; Southport 

 (A.R.J.). 

 Also a very small and abundant species, occurring 

 on the outside of windows and outhouses and also on 

 walls and palings. It makes no tent-like retreat, and 

 the habits are very similar to those of the last species. 

 Known also as Theridion denticulatum. 



2 22. Steatoda bimaeulata, Linnaeus. 



Southport (O. P.-C. and A. R. J.). 

 The males can be recognized by the sharp spur on 

 the coxa of the fourth pair of legs. Known also as 

 Theridion b'tmaculatum and Theridion carolinum, Blackwall. 



223. Steatoda palkns, Blackwall. 



Warrington (L. G., O. P.-C. and A. R. J.). 

 This minute spider, pale yellow in colour, often 

 with a dark or paler dorsal spot on the abdomen, 

 lives beneath the leaves of shrubs and trees — laurel, 

 elm, lime, etc. — where it spins its minute pear-shaped 

 pure white egg-sac, which rests on its larger end and 

 has several small cusps towards the sharp-pointed end. 

 Known also as Theridion fallens. 



224. Steatoda tepidariorum, C. L. Koch. 

 Warrington (L. G). 



This large species is one of our commonest spiders 

 in conservatories and greenhouses, where the curious 

 triangular-shaped female may be seen hanging with 

 legs closely gathered to the body in the middle of the 

 tangled web. Sometimes, but not often, a few chips 

 of dry leaf fallen into the web may be utilized as a 

 sort of apology for a tent-like retreat, constructed In 

 the case of T. firmosum with elaborate skill. When 

 prey of any kind fells into the toils, the spider 

 hurries down and with the tarsal comb on the fourth 

 pair of legs commences kicking out from the spinners 

 a silken fluid, often quite moist like treacle, which 

 strikes against and hardens on the victim. In this 

 way very large spiders, beetles, and wood-lice are 

 ensnared and converted into food. With a rapid and 

 irritable movement of the forelegs also, small tufts of 

 fine silk are gathered and flung promiscuously over the 

 web. The male, a much smaller spider, may be also 

 seen hanging near at hand in the web, and the one 

 or more brown pear-shaped egg-sacs also hang in the 

 upper part of the toil. Sometimes these spiders are 

 found outside the houses, but rarely amongst the 

 shrubs in the open garden. Known also as Theridion 

 tepidariorum. 



225. Pholcomma giihu/n, Westnng. 

 Lancaster( W. F.) ; Southport (A. R. J.). 



DICTYNID^ 



The spiders belonging to this family possess three 

 tarsal claws, and the eyes, eight in number, situated 

 in two transverse rows, the laterals being in contact. 

 The cribellum (or extra pair of spinning organs) and 

 the calamistrum (a row of curving bristles on the 

 protarsi of the fourth pair of legs) are present in all 

 members of the family. They construct a tubular 

 retreat with an outer sheet of webbing, which is 

 covered with a flocculent silk made with the cala- 

 mistrum from threads furnished with the cribellum. 



226. C ini^o similis, BhckwaW. 



Warrington (L. G.) ; Southport (O. P.-C. and 



A.R.J.). 



A very common species in greenhouses, stables, 



and other outhouses. The males may often be found 



wandering about the walls of dwelling-houses after 



nightfall. Known also as Amaurobius similis. 



227. Cintflo fenestralis, Stroem. 



Warrington (L. G.) ; Southport (O. P.-C. and 

 A.R.J.). 

 A smaller species than the last, and easily dis- 

 tinguished by the characters of the genitalia. It is 

 found, howeVer, almost exclusively in the open 

 country under stones, bark of trees, or the coping 

 stones of walls all over the fell districts, whereas 

 C. similis is almost entirely confined to the neighbour- 

 hood of dwelling-houses and out-buildings. Known 

 also as Amaurobius fenestralis and Cintflo atrox, Black- 

 wall. 



228. Cintflo ferox, Walckenaer. 

 Garstang (L. G.) ; Southport (C. W.). 



A much larger species, shiny black with pale 

 markings, found in cellars and also beneath rocks and 

 stones on the coast, or in crevices of banks in the 

 open country. Known also as Amaurobius ferox. 



229. Dictyna arundinacea, Linnaeus. 

 Southport (O. P.-C). 



A very common species, forming its nest in the 

 rush-heads and grass in marshy places. Known also 

 as Ergatis henigna. 



230. Dictyna latens, Fabricius. 

 Southport (O. P.-C. and A. R. J.). 



A fairly common species, usually found on gorse 

 bushes. 



231. Protadia patula, Simon. 



Kirkby, Rev. J. H. Bloom (O. P.-C). 

 A rare species. 



CHERNETES 



CHELIFERID^ 



Out of twenty species of false-scorpions hitherto 

 recorded as indigenous to Great Britain, only one is 

 recorded from this county. The various species can 

 be found amongst moss and dead leaves, or beneath 

 stones and the bark of trees. They are unmistakable 

 on account of their possession of a pair of forcipated 

 palpi, like those of the true scorpion. These are 



usually extended wide open when the Arachnid is 

 alarmed while it hastens backwards to take shelter. 

 In spite of this scorpion-like appearance, these little 

 creatures are closely allied to the Mites or Acaridea. 



232. Chthonius raft, L. Koch. 

 Duddon Vale. 



155 



