EPEIRIDAE 



409 



No spider is more familiar than Epeira diademata (Fig. 181, 

 p. 325), the G-arden-spider, j'ar excellence, which attains its greatest 

 size and spreads its largest snares in the autumn. The smaller 

 and much less conspicuous Zilla x-notata is sure to be found 

 abundantly in the same locality. Several other Epeirids are to 

 be found in this country, especially in the south, by sweeping 

 heather or bushes with a net, or shaking the boughs of trees over 

 an umbrella or other receptacle. The little apple-green species is 

 Epeira cucurlitina. E. cornuta is extremely common in marshy 

 places all over the country. In furze bushes, and often among 

 sedge in swampy places, will frequently be found E. quadrata, 

 one of the largest and handsomest species we possess. The 

 ground-colour may vary from orange -red to green, and there 

 are four conspicuous white' spots on the abdomen. The tent- 

 like retreat which this spider makes near its snare often catches 

 the eye. 



E. umiratica is a dark fiat, somewhat toad-like Epeirid of 

 retiring habits, which stretches its snare usually on wooden 

 palings, between the timbers of which 

 it squeezes its flat body, and waits for 

 insects to entangle themselves. 



Two of our finest Epeiras, E. pyrami- 

 data and E. angulata (Eig. 210), are 

 seldom met with, and only in the sovith. 



Our only Cyclosa (C. conica) is easily 

 recognised by the peculiar form of its 

 abdomen, which is greatly prolonged 

 beyond the spinnerets. It is a small, 

 rather dark species, which constructs a 

 particularly perfect snare. 



Five British Epeirids belong to the 

 genus Singa. They are small creatures, 

 not exceeding a sixth of an inch in length. They live in heathery 

 and marshy localities. 



(vi.) The Gasteracanthinae are a remarkable group of 

 Epeirids, characterised by the hard and coriaceous integument 

 covering the abdomen, which is usually furnished with a number 

 of more or less formidable thorn-like spines, calculated to render 

 these spiders by no means pleasant eating for insectivorous birds. 

 An even more constant characteristic is the presence on the back 



Fig. 210. — Epeira angulata, 9 . 



